One of the most ignorant claims is that this film is nothing more than a "cheap Tarantino knockoff"when it feels nothing like it and the screenplay was written before Reservoir Dogs was even released. This is a smart crime drama/dark comedy with heart that feels wholly unique. Filled with a cast of talented actors playing quirky characters such as Buscemi's indestructible hitman "Mr. Shush" along with Christopher Lloyd (need I say more?), Christopher Walken, William Forsythe, Fairuza Balk, Treat Williams,…
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White Elephant 2022
On the surface, White Elephant is a fun, shoot-em-up actioner featuring an all-star cast of talent both behind and in front of the camera. And while this is absolutely the case, it goes deeper with substance than a film of this caliber needs to go, exploring themes of honor and loyalty as flawed characters struggle with their own morality.
Take for example,, Gabriel, played by Michael Rooker, a man who operates within a code of ethics. You don't see it…
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War of the Worlds 2005
Brilliantly captures the terrifying essence of what an alien invasion might very well feel like on a ground-level civilian basis rather than a military one. It is to Independence Day what Goodfellas is to The Godfather.
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Dead West 2016
This wasn't at all what I expected. A modern western-esque psychological thriller that's also a character study. The script is strong even if it could have benefitted from being trimmed down in the final act. Brian Sutherland is like a young Jack Nicholson - he has such a magnetic screen presence that you can't take your eyes off him as he drifts from scene to scene like his character drifts from town to town. He and Jeffery Arrington have strong…
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It Follows 2014
This is one of the best horror films of the past decade. The first time I watched It Follows, I felt a genuine sense of dread. Upon this rewatch, I come to appreciate it even more. The concept of this "thing" that follows you after sex - whether it be a demon, a curse, or some other unexplained phenomenon, is a perfect metaphor for STD's, and the way it builds this concept upon a decaying urban environment is brilliant and…
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Gremlin 2017
Title is misleading when the term "Gremlin" is never actually used and the creature is instead referred to as a "God". Nothing special in terms of acting or characterization. Still, for a low budget monster movie, it's got a clever premise and some really good effects. A cool little film worth watching if only for the final 5 minutes.
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VFW 2019
Blind bought this blu-ray at my local Dollar Tree just because the front cover looked badass and I'm a fan of all these amazing actors.
The ensemble cast delivers in such a way that you can feel the chemistry amongst them as they bicker back and forth as old men do, telling old war stories and breaking each other's balls. Then once the brotherhood is established, all hell breaks loose and it's total nonstop brutality from then on! With a…
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Black Christmas 2019
I wasn't sure what to expect from this going into it. The film starts off with a promising opening scene that shows potential in the form of a blood-soaked snow angel, but it quickly goes downhill from there.
The fact that it has the audacity to be called "Black Christmas" is an insult. There's no point comparing it to the 1974 classic, but that film played heavily on suspense, which this movie has none of. Bland characters, awful writing and a piss-poor attempt at a twist ending that actually ruins it even further.
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Twister 1996
My old VHS copy of this had a really weird Buggs Bunny cartoon that played before the movie which depicted the Tasmanian Devil spinning after Buggs and Buggs making a very unsettling face at the end. It set up the tone of the opening scene of the twister that destroys Jo's home and kills her father perfectly.
While being a blockbuster in 1996, it feels more like a Sci Fi original by today's standards. That isn't to say it isn't…
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Godzilla 2000: Millennium 1999
Some things I love about this film:
- Godzilla's badass razor sharp design
- The concept and design of the other creature
- The dreary but vibrant atmosphere of doomed Tokyo that resembles what I imagine John Carpenter's "Escape From New York" to look like in the day time
-The slick cinematography
- The realistic approach of the practical effects and imaginative (although low budget) CGI
- The fact that it's a direct sequel to the original 1954 film and…