jollyjumpup Reviews

Brooklyn 45 (2023)

Something Different

[7/10 · 6 September 2023]

"Brooklyn 45" is not exactly a horror film although there are some scary moments. It's best described as a filmed supernatural stage play. It's also a promising step forward for writer-director Ted Geoghegan, who previously delivered the tepid horror film "We Are Still Here" and the dreadful "Mohawk."

There are only two sets in this movie, the exterior of a Brooklyn street at Christmastime, and the interior of an apartment off the street. Excellent set design and dressing spare us from claustrophobia. An intriguing storyline and good special efx keep us watching.

The cast is excellent all around. Their acting is believable enough to sell the wild supernatural events. The period costumes and hair styles are well done.

The only quibble I have is with the high key lighting. The imagery is crisp and the camera work on point, but the flat, ultra bright lighting robs the film of much needed atmosphere, particularly in the seance scene. Whether the director wanted to showcase the period set dressing or was afraid a dark setting might be too claustrophobic, it's a weird directorial choice.

Considering the other paranormal events going on in the room, it would have made perfect sense for the lights to go off and on for variable periods, which would have added much needed spookiness to the proceedings.

The Passenger (III) (2023)

Great script, direction, casting, production

[10/10 · 2 September 2023]

How refeshing to see a lower budget film that gets it right on so many counts. Film students (and many working filmmakers) should be forced to watch this as an example of technical profiency.

The soundtrack is better recorded and mixed than any film I've seen in as long as I can remember. Crystal clear dialogue throughout, sound effects, including ambient sounds like vehicles and effects like gunshots, are recorded at levels to enhance the realism of the story without stepping on the dialogue. Music never overwhelms but subtly adds to the atmosphere.

The casting is perfect all around. Kyle Gallner and Johnny Berchtold deliver Oscar worthy performances as two damaged souls, one seething with psychotic anger, the other drowning in fear and regret. Every other character in the film, no matter how brief their appearance, contributes uniquely to the plot.

The story is unrelentingly dark and suspenseful. Through the eyes of the "passenger" we're taken on a forced ride of terror, always on edge as we anticipate the worst under the erratic thumb of (literally) the driving force.

It's especially impressive that director Carter Smith started his career as photographer. Many before him have leveraged their experience into directing but rarely have they shown such masterful work with actors and story.

The Resurrection of Charles Manson (2023)

Good cast, messy script

[4/10 · 2 September 2023]

This movie started off promisingly with an opening teaser that hinted at a very dark story to follow and an attractive cast headed by Katherine Hughes.

Unfortunately the story that unfolded was a slow burn interrupted by clumsy flashbacks and a few stupid plot points. For example, much is made of the Mitch character preparing to offer Hughes an engagement ring, then freaking out when the ring disappears before he can make the proposal, and the open window in the room leads him to correctly surmise it was stolen. But when she tells him she left the window open he forgets all about the missing room, relaxes and makes love to her. Huh?

There's also some lookalike casting of Hughes' former and current bfs that adds to the confusion of the flashbacks. And based on the resolution of the story, the add-on ending is silly.

Will Peltz and Jaime King stand out in minor roles. Both are good at conveying sexy sinister personas with seemingly minimal effort.

Helter Skelter (2004 TV Movie)

Excellent second version of Bugliosi's book

[9/10 · 20 August 2023]

The 1976 mini-series adaptation of Vincent Bugliosi's book on the Manson trial was superb. This version, happily, is a worthy adaptation as well, focusing on several aspects ignored by the other version while retaining all the important historical points.

This version is a bit more stylish, but just as substantial. Jeremy Davies gets to stretch a little more as Manson, showcasing more of his twisted evangelical powers as he seduces and brainwashes his disciples.

Clea Duvall as Linda Kasabian and Marguerite Moreau as Susan Atkins handle their meaty roles with aplomb. Cheselka Leigh and Yvonne Delarosa are also stand-outs.

The rest of the cast is very good, particularly the victims at the Tate house, but many of the actors don't resemble the people they portray, which is somewhat distracting if you're familiar with the case.

While the overall casting pales compared to the 1976 version, the soundtrack is wonderful, at times evoking an exquisite mystical spiritualism reminiscent of Hildegard von Bingen.

This version is also slightly more transgressive in portraying the actual crimes, but obscures the most explicit action with visual effects.

This is a satisfying watch on its own, but if you want the full picture start with the original version and follow it up with this. It's a great double bill.

Helter Skelter (1976)

Quintessential Manson trial drama

[10/10 · 20 August 2023]

There have been a number of Manson movies made in the five and a half decades since he sent his maladjusted minions on their psycho killing spree. At least two have been based on DA Vincent Bugliosi's book, both excellent but very different in tone.

The original version, this two-part miniseries, comes closest to evoking the actual experience of the trial. This is mainly due to the spot on casting of actors who looked eerily like the people they portrayed and captured their mannerisms to a tee, but also to the relatively close proximity in time of the production to the murders, making it easy to establish a feeling for the era.

The three main actors are fantastic. Steven Railsback's performance conveys the underlying pain and anger that drove Manson to his anti-social madness. At times he seems to be physically channeling Manson.

George DiCenzo looks so much like Bugliosi and plays him so earnestly I felt like I was watching the DA. But it's Nancy Wolfe who steals the show as Susan Atkins. Her incredibly nuanced emotional turns and psychotic enthusiasm are chilling and very believable.

True to the somewhat self-aggrandizing nature of the book, the story showcases the widespread incompetence of the local police, whose botched handling of evidence and shortsighted presumptions complicated the already difficult task Bugliosi had in trying to pin the murders on mastermind Manson.

If you're interested in the Manson murders, this packs all the essential facts into a neat and comprehensive presentation.

House of Manson (2014)

Good story, so-so movie

[5/10 · 15 August 2023]

The story for this film was solid, if straightforward, depicting the Manson family murders and a few post-murder interrogations, with a sympathetic nod to Manson's early life. The dialog was serviceable at best.

The biggest problem with the film is the casting. While Ryan Kiser bears a passing resemblance to Manson, he lacks the sinister gravitas needed for the role. He comes close at times but overall he's just too innocuous in both looks and demeanor.

The Manson gang is even more poorly cast. Their acting is fine when it comes to the line readings, but they're generally too old for their roles and are unconvincing as hippies. The victims are also badly cast and all the characters are poorly developed. Manson's lawyer is the only convincing character in the lot.

The locations are meager. The "upscale" dwelling of Tate has the same sickly yellow walls as every other house in the movie.

All that said, if you want to see a basic depiction of the crimes, this one is fairly accurate.

The Old Way (2023)

Outstanding Western

[10/10 · 5 August 2023]

I'm always in the mood for a good Western. Unfortunately it's not easy to find one these days. It's even harder to find a great one. This one is a delight from beginning to end.

I wasn't expecting much going in. If I had checked the credits beforehand and known it was written by Carl Lucas, who also penned the highly imaginativel film The Wave, I definitely would have been more optimistic.

I was also anticipating a somewhat campy performance from Nic Cage, which I thought marked the depth of his range. To my great joy that wasn't the case. Cage delivers.a dour, completely believable turn as a reformed gunslinger called back to action when his karma catches up to him.

The script is suspenseful. There's plenty of gun play but it's not overdone. There are a few bits of judiciously spaced and smartly written deadpan comic relief to reset the dramatic line and amp up the entertainment factor. They come by way of Ryan Kiera Armstrong, an incredibly talented young actress with a huge impressive resume.

The acting and the action are topnotch. The cast is perfect and the sets and costumes are authentic. Director Brett Donowho nailed it on every count.

Nefarious (2023)

Outstanding supernatural thriller

[10/10 · 30 July 2023]

The writer-producer team behind this movie have a decidedly religious passion displayed in their body of work, but that doesn't detract from this thriller in the least. While some of the provocative dialog is sure to rub some viewers the wrong way, the screenplay is absolutely brilliant - particularly when the self-proclaimed demon possessing the main character expounds lucidly and profoundly on the nature of Lucifer's rebellion.

The entire cast is excellent and very well cast. Sean Patrick Flanery is amazing, delivering an incredible double-edged performance, alternating between a pompous man possessed by a supercilious demon and a pathetic broken man groveling for mercy.

Jordan Belfi is perfectly cast as the rational-minded shrink brought in to assess the prisoner's mental health and all the other players fit the bill to a tee.

The story is gripping and never slows down. The dialog is intelligent and totally credible. Although set in one main location, the film is never claustrophobic.

While there is plenty of intrigue, there isn't much in the way of efx. But that doesn't diminish the film in any way. The creepy story and convincing performances handily carry the day.

The Wrath of Becky (2023)

Decent sequel, nothing special

[6/10 · 21 July 2023]

I was a fan of the first Becky movie. Something about a fierce adolescent girl wreaking havoc on dangerous bad guys appeals to me. The Becky in the original was an unglamorous tween in a pussy hat, running around like a mini-maniac as she lured her prey to their doom.

Today's Becky seems to have matured a lot. She now has a sexy edge as a surly, red-lipsticked feminist. Lulu Wilson is no longer the unglamorous nerd of the first film and efforts to replicate her original "Becky" persona seem contrived in this offering.

The story is good but not great. Becky's maneuvers are not mind-blowingly clever and some story points just make you say "huh?"

With Lulu looking to get even sexier as she continues her maturation, any sequels going forward will have their work cut for them if they expect to recapture the goofy charm of the original.

For fans of the genre, The Wrath of Becky is worth a watch. And fans of Seann William Scott will be happy to see him looking more movie star handsome than ever.

Homestead (I) (2023)

Great first act, then unravels

[5/10 · 21 July 2023]

I was very excited by the first act of this film, mainly due to the very interesting set of characters. Betsy Sligh in particular stole the show as a feisty adolescent with a professed itch for dangerous adventure, but all four members of her frontier family are excellent and well cast.

The costumes and setting are also very authentic, except for the glaring absence of any farm animals - not even a dog or horse in sight. Even the band of outlaws who turn up arrive on foot!

Said outlaws appear at the start of the second act, and that is where things go awry. This group of characters is not nearly as interesting, starting with the tired old cliche of a "hellfire preacher" leader iof the gang. There's an effort to give the others distinctive personalities and conflicts, but their interactions are muddled, as is the last half of the script.

Although the adolescent fireball Irene is set up as a "Becky" type vengeful warrior, her character soon gets lost in the messy script and has minimal impact.

Making things even worse, this is a movie plagued with the kind of illogical last minute pauses taken by movie villains that allow their victims to escape the jaws of death. Believability goes out the door fairly early and with it any real suspense.

It's too bad the writer-director didn't have someone looking over his shoulder to question his bad decisions. This could have been a minor classic.

Warhorse One (2023)

Topnotch shoot-em-up marred by uneven soundtrack

[9/10 · 18 July 2023]

I was reluctant to give this nine stars because based on the ludicrous number of times Johnny Strong's name appears in the credits, I didn't want to give him an unneeded ego boost. However, as a work of sheer entertainment, this film succeeds admirably.

Most of the negative reviews here have to do with military realism. Guess what? This isn't a documentary. Does the hero have a seemingly endless supply of fully loaded magazines? Okay, they cerrainly stretched credibility there... especially when he fired off so many extra rounds more than were necessary.

Did that ruin the story? Not for me. I'd rather watch a trumped up gunfight in a movie with heart than another invincible martial arts superwarrior running up walls and delivering spinning roundhouse kicks in slow motion and all the other cheeseball choreography that fills the bulk of modern action flicks.

As for the long slow second act, yes it could have been trimmed, but I didn't mind the extra screen time with Athena Durner. There are many excellent child actors working these days, but she has incredible appeal and solid chops. And the costumer deserves a nod for turning her into an adorable little waif.

Which brings us back to Mr. Strong. He is obviously a major talent who successfully wears many hats and is also very appealing (struck me as Tom Cruise with a dash of Kevin Costner). He's also apparently guilty of the one big flaw I saw in this film.

The music he composed is very good and suits the story, but it is way overmixed, drowning out most of the dialog in the first half of the film. And in some scenes even the sounds of nature drowned out the dialog. Luckily we catch just enough to be able to track the story, which isn't very complicated.

The action sequences are dynamic and the last act is surprisingly suspenseful. There is no hammy action star posing or cheesy one-liners, and even the borderline action cliches pay off with deft twists.

This is simple, exciting entertainment with a charming "odd couple" at its center. If you're in the mood for something light (with heavy doses of gunfire) you might want to check it out.

Arctic Void (2022)

Nifty Thriller with Great Locations

[9/10 · 15 July 2023]

I can understand why some people weren't completely happy with this film, so if you're someone who needs every little story point tied up with a perfect bow, maybe skip this one.

If on the other hand, you're up for a highly original slice of scifi suspense, there's a lot to like here. The setting is a real treat, half on a Norse tour boat and half at an abandoned Arctic mining town that vibes a little like The Shining.

There are no huge special efx involved though, just the kind of creepy goings on you'd find in an M. Night Shyamalan flick, but more unnerving. There are some major twists and a bit of smart humor early in the proceedings.

If you don't mind a little ambiguity in an otherwise rock solid story, you should enjoy this.

Terror on the Prairie (2022)

Good For a Watch

[8/10 · 15 July 2023]

I'd honestly give this a 7.5 if you could split stars here, but I opted for a generous 8 with good reason. Movies in the Western genre fall distinctly into two categories. They're either (more or less) authentic or they're not.

As distance from the past increases and interest in history wanes, it's getting harder to find Westerns with the kind of period details that distinguish the genre from modern action films.

This film starts off promisingly, with sets and costumes right out of the Old West. The casting is superb. Gina Carrano is completely believable as a sturdy frontier wife devoid of the modern make-up and plucked eyebrows that spoil so many cinematic portrayals of latter day women.

The dialog is sparse and blessedly free of the cringeworthy modern slang that intrudes on too many Westerns these days, even some of the good ones. Unfortunately, the story isn't quite as commendable. The first half is great, but the second half is long-winded and rife with illogical moments that make you say "huh?"

The end result is a shining example of "less is more." The surgical removal of twenty minutes of the second half would have turned this into a classic.

As it is, be thankful it's as good as it is. It's gritty and reasonably suspenseful and the actors are actors, not stunt men. There are no polyester outfits, no bleached or razor cut hair, and the single action revolvers are period authentic.

The Quiet Ones (2014)

Wasted Potential

[3/10 · 15 July 2023]

John Pogue has given us a few good movies but this is not one of them. Sadly, it has many fine elements - a good cast, impressive locations, interesting cinematography, costumes etc. All of that is undermined by one of the most horrendous soundtrack mixes ever inflicted on an audience. A mix that completely backfires in its intent.

No horror theme holds more potential for imaginative scares than demonic possession. Anything can happen, from surreal headspinning to grisly ultra-realistic pencil stabs. But in this film, only one thing happens, over and over - monotonous and predictable jump scares triggered by EXTREMELY loud bursts of sound.

Every visual element of this movie is superfluous. If the screen were totally black for the entire running time, the soundtrack would have the same effect. Whenever the sound gets low - actors mumbling in barely audible whispers - the next sound you'll hear is an ear-shattering bang or cacophony.

If you do watch this, keep the remote handy. The dialog is mixed extra soft and low to set you up for the big "scares." If you want to catch all the dialog without having your ears shattered, you'll have to be quick on the volume control. Good luck.

Where's Rose (2021)

Classy indie horror film

[9/10 · 14 July 2023]

As a lifelong horror fan who appreciates the full spectrum of the genre, I was happy to stumble onto Where's Rose, a classy indie offering that should appeal to fans of folk horror, supernatural mysteries and psychological thrillers. That is, all but ravenous gore fans.

Writer-director John Mathis crafted a smart intriguing screenplay and executed it beautifully. Although it's a low budget one-main-location film, it looks rich and the special efx are worthy of a studio production. The story moves at a satisfying pace, keeping you hooked to the end.

The casting is convincing and the acting generally excellent. Ty Simpkins is the biggest star in the film but Skyler Philpot steals the show, alternately charming and chilling. Anneliese Judge displays a simmering vulnerability that's magnetic. Kathy Searle deserves mention in a meaty supporting role that she makes the most of. But the entire cast delivers the goods.

Hunt Club (2022)

Half-baked "feminist" revenge film

[4/10 · 14 July 2023]

As the majority of reviewers here have pointed out, this film has strong echoes of films that have been done earlier and better. It reminded me of those old low budget women in prison movies shot in the Philippines - the only difference being the women in this film get to keep their bras and panties on.

Written by two men, it's supposed to be a feminist thriller. And that calls to mind the 1982 "feminist" slasher film The Slumber Party Massacre by Rita Mae Brown, which was ironically loaded with t'n'a and other sexist standard conventions. But at least that film matched the quality of films in its genre.

Hunt Club pulls its punches. While there's plenty of spilled blood, we're spared some of the gory kills, probably due to budgetary limitations.

The costumes do stand out, but not in a good way. When the two male leads first appeared, I thought they were dressed for some Lone Ranger and Tonto cowboy and Indian cosplay. And both male and female actors are decked out in the gaudiest cowboy boots imaginable. I kept thinking it had to be a "perk" for the stars.

The script is structurally sound but the story lacks the kind of Death Wish credibility that makes reenge films work and the cliched dialog isn't helped by the pretentious references to ancient mythology. The plot is paper thin and its premise is ludicrous. The characters are preposterous.

I feel sorry for Mena Suvari. I'm sure she had high expectations for this, based on the director's stated objective to make meaningful films. And I have to wonder about who runs the show at Uncork'd. The quality of their movies is all over the place.

Triangle of Sadness (2022)

Clever Retread of Wertmuller's Swept Away

[8/10 · 28 June 2023]

Fifty years ago Lina Wertmuller swept the NY film critics awards for writing and directing Swept Away, a political dialectic whose main characters represented the plebian workers and the patricians who coldly exploit them. It was remade less successfully by Guy Ritchie in 2002 as a vehicle for Madonna.

Triangle of Sadness is set in three parts. The first sets up two of the main characters and sets them up brilliantly. Sadly, what should have been a breakthrough performance for Charlbi Dean turned out to be her last. The captivating and very talented beauty died of sepsis at the age of 32.

Parts two and three "borrow liberally" from Swept Away. Both films are set on a luxury cruise yacht, where the staff happily accommodate every whim and demand of the spoiled passengers. And here is where the film becomes a clever reworking of Wertmuller's film.

Woody Harrelson's dialog is mostly a protracted Marxist diatribe and the wealthy are represented by a decadent Russian drunk, a pair of conscienceless golden-aged arms dealers, a completely helpless stroke victim, etc. People so coddled they're unable to survive without the help of the working class.

The main characters are swept away to a desert isle and again the film follows Wertmuller's plot, as the power shifts and the tables radically turn.

Despite the obvious stolen elements, Triangle of Sadness is so well directed and different enough that I give it a high grade. It's hardly the first film made in the last forty years to "borrow" its plot from an old, largely forgotten movie, and like Eastwood's Shane, er, I mean Unforgiven, it does it well.

The production values are excellent from top to bottom, particularly the scenes on the gorgeous yacht, where the tumultuous final actions are disgustingly hilarious. The cast is perfect. Enjoy it for what it is.

One Step Beyond: The Sacred Mushroom (1961) Season 3, Episode 18

Great show, great episode

[10/10 · 18 June 2023]

I actually saw this episode when it aired. I still vividly remember the host's reaction as the psychedelic effects of the shrooms kicked in.

John Newland was a classy host with a serious understated demeanor, so when he opened up under the influence of the mushrooms it was impressive.

"It's fantastic!" (or something equivalent) he gushed ecstatically. "The colors! I can't describe how beautiful it is!" (or something like that.)

Unlike the other shows on the series, which were dramatized stories of allegedly true paranormal events - all well written and directed - this was a "live" documentary event.

If you have never seen One Step Beyond it's well worth checking out. Especially if you're a fan of the original Twilight Zone series or the paranormal. It was a great series, much better than most of the "true paranormal" drivel being telecast these days.

Hell of the Living Dead (1980)

If Ed Wood directed Zombi...

[3/10 · 29 March 2023]

Scanning the earlier reviews here I was stunned to see only one reviewer mention that this might be the stupidest movie ever made. Just how stupid is it?

In one scene a team of hardcore "swat commandos" enter a house to clear it of zombies. One of them goes off on his own, tosses his tommy gun onto a high shelf, dons a green tutu and top hat, then begins dancing from room to room. He soon finds himself surrounded by a roomful of zombies and, well I don't want to spoli it for you.

One of the long-haired commandos is as reckless as DeNiro's Johnny Boy character from Mean Streets, except far far dumber and less likeable. In one scene he dances into the midst of a flock of zombies to taunt them.

The commandos are obviously modeled after the ones in the opening scene of Romero's Dawn of the Dead, but their cheesy blue "swat" uniforms look more suitable for a team of Maytag repairmen. The setting is likewise ripped off from Fulci's Zombi.

In another scene a female reporter announces her plan to interview a tribe of natives. Smashcut to her baring her breasts and next we see her in primitive war paint, wearing only a pair of fig leaf bikini panties. One of the natives lends her his mud man mask for no apparent reason. When she takes if off, her war paint has magically (and very apparently) changed colors.

The dialog is as moronic as the action. Every single character is as dumb as a rock, if not dumber. When attacked, there's a consistent lag as they watch the approaching in horror for several seconds before bothering to react.

Despite being told several times throughout the story that you have to shoot the zombies in the head, only one of the swat team ever does. They just keep wasting ammo with shots to the torso.

The sheer volume of stupidity is mind-boggling. It must have been a qualification for the cast and crew that their IQs were just high enough to repeat their silly lines and obey the ridiculous direction without questioning the inanity of it all. The best actor in it is a small boy, and I'll bet he would have written a better script.

Production values are equally atrocious. The zombie make-up runs the gamut from white grease paint to green mud mask to bloody mess. The zombies are often smiling as they attack, apparently thrilled to be in such an epic.

The stock footage of "New Guinea" includes a herd of African elephants and plenty of footage of several different tribes doing ritual dances.

Despite (or because of) all this, the movie is bizarrely entertaining.

Mob Town (2019)

Slice of Mafia History

[7/10 · 20 January 2023]

If you're looking for a blood-spattered shoot 'em up this probably won't do it for you. There are a couple of action scenes but the movie is less mob drama and more of a tribute to the smart cop who realized his little town was suddenly infested with mafioso and triggered an investigation that ultimately forced J. Edgar Hoover to stop looking the other way when it came to organized crime.

The 1950s period is convincingly captured, including impressive shots of NYC. Vintage car enthusiasts will find a feast for their eyes. I don't have a clue what the budget was but I'd bet the film looks bigger than it cost.

The cast is excellent. Anyone who's ever casually rubbed elbows with real mobsters will recognize these guys. The largely Italian cast brings an authenticity in looks and mannerisms too often lacking in mob movies.

Both David Arquette and Jamie Lyn-Sigler have matured well. They still look good and in their adult years project uniquely interesting personas.

Director Danny Abeckaser was especially convincing as the small time hood charged with hosting the VIP mob bosses, effectively conveying self-assured bossiness when dealing with the locals and giddy nerves when dealing with godfather Genovese.

Terrifier 2 (2022)

Bloody Good Horror Extravaganza

[10/10 · 24 November 2022]

Wow. This is not a horror film for everyone. It is extremely brutal and bloody, with gore efx that are as gratuitous as can be. It is also a ton of fun. As wildly imaginative and indulgent as the efx are, they are technically topnotch.

The film is so much more than the efx though. All the production values are excellent. The actors do a fantastic job in what must have been a demanding shoot thanks to all the violent action and gory efx.

The screenplay is solid and relentless, with well-drawn believable characters, a nasty sense of humor, plenty of gruesome action and a nifty bonus scene in the end credits that's well worth waiting for. It gets a little surreal at times, with some beautifully creepy imagery.

Writer-director Damien Leone transcends the usual expectations for a filmmaker working in the extreme efx subgenre of horror. And it's refreshing that his franchise villain Art the Clown isn't just some leaden boogeyman hiding behind a mask - even without a single line of dialog he projects a gleefully twisted personality.

If you like gory horror films, this is a feast.

Medieval (2022)

Flawed But Decent Medieval Epic

[7/10 · 8 November 2022]

I was excited to see a major production based on early Central European history. There have been monumental wars and epic battles in the Western Slavic states, but they've been largely overlooked by Hollywood producers and most of the past local productions were budgetarily challenged.

Unfortunately, what should have been an engrossing slice of history was reduced to a series of thrilling battle scenes and a thin romantic drama between the hero and his captive princess. When Zizka pipes up with a rousing third act rallying speech it's clear this was meant to be a Czech Braveheart. With a little more focus it might have been.

The look of the film is fantastic. Gorgeous cinematography, great period locations and costumes, including plenty of authentic looking armor and convincing peasant garb. The only distracting visual was one character's modern buzzcut, obviously done with electric clippers.

The international cast is very good but the array of accents was hard to ignore. Everything from harsh American to lilting Scandinavian, Slavic, British and German. No big problem though.

What really brings the movie down is the soundtrack. The final mix is absolutely horrendous. Literally 90% of the time when a character opens their mouth to speak, the music swells dramatically as if deliberately trying to drown out the dialog. I quickly gave up trying to decipher whatever exposition or character intros were buried under the pseudo-angelic chorals. Even more frustrating, the production tracks were clearly well-recorded, they were just lost in the sloppy soaring mix.

If you like brutal knightly action you'll find plenty to enjoy in this romp. If it's history you crave, you'll find it a bit sketchy.

Burial (II) (2022)

Nifty Little WW2 Action Thriller

[10/10 · 21 October 2022]

From the opening scene it's clear that we're dealing with a superbly directed, well-produced, well-written thriller. Despite an assumed modest budget, every aspect of this film is first class.

It starts with a very smart script, written by someone with above average knowledge about WW2, including the unique political landscape in Poland following the war. Like "Inglorious Basterds", this is a slice of alternative history, but less frivolous, told with a smaller budget but more compelling authenticity.

The cast is uniformly excellent and appealing. Charlotte Vega is both convincing and adorable as a Soviet officer leading a Russian squad on a secret mission. Nazi officers and "werewolf" guerillas are determined to thwart the mission, while some Polish peasants and partisans are caught in the middle, not happy to have either sets of "guests" in their country.

The production values are topnotch. The cinematography and period details are outstanding.

The costumes, right down to the proper fabric, are far above the usual for an indie war film.

The "werewolves" are obviously what cause the confusion about this being a horror film. The term refers to the real historical unit of Hitler youth and diehard Nazi sympathers formed with the intention of carrying on the war after Germany's surrender. Depicted in the film wearing animal skins to terrify the local peasantry, this apparently confused some less observant reviewers - who also missed the dialog explaining this in the movie.

If you're in the mood for a taut, fast-moving story and gritty hand-to-hand combat and realistic shoot-outs, you won't be disappointed.

Big Kill (2019)

A Pleasant Surprise

[8/10 · 8 September 2022]

I don't expect much from most modern Westerns so I'm always happy when a good one comes along. Big Kill is a good one. With more authentic sounding dialog (like in Bone Tomahawk) and a few extra tweaks it could have been a classic. As it is, it's very entertaining from the opening gunfight to the wild experimental music over the end credits.

The script doesn't break new ground but it puts a fun spin on the time-honored theme of roving gunslingers cleaning up a corrupt town. With likable heroes, despicable villains, touches of wry humor, and top notch production values, it reminded me a lot of Silverado.

The casting is uniformly excellent as is all the acting. Unlike Clint Eastwood's taciturn heroes, Scott Martin and Clint Hummel are laidback freewheeling hedonists. It's nice to see Danny Trejo and Lou Diamond Philips in roles worthy of their talent.

There is a tiny bit of nudity and sex which will probably be too much for some viewers and not enough for others. There's plenty of gun play and action to please fans of the genre.

If you're in the mood for a well-written, well-produced, well-directed Western, give Big Kill a shot.

The Twilight Zone: Mr. Garrity and the Graves (1964) Season 5, Episode 32

Uncommonly Stupid TZ Episode

[2/10 · 3 September 2022]

Twilight Zone was noted for its smart, provocative writing. This episode is just the opposite.

The simple-minded script falls short on every count. Set in the Old West when the average wage was around $15 a week, the small town people in this mess all seem to carry hundreds of dollars in their wallets. In case you flunked math, it'd be like everyone in a small town today walking around with thousands of dollars in their wallets.

And there's no comeuppance for the scammer. He simply rides out of town as the dead return. It's the townies who will face their wrath. The scammer and his partner get away with their ill-gotten gains.

This seems to be the only thing the writer ever had produced. I suspect he was a friend of the producer.

There's also no explanation for how the scammer's accomplice literally vanishes into thin air before the townspeoples' eyes. The effect looks cool but makes no sense in the context of the story. Almost unbelievable is how a dozen men could so easily be convinced a dog playing dead was actually dead.

The only thing interesting about this episode is the cast. Some good actors wasted on a cheesy episode.