The Time Machine Review

The Time Machine Poster From 1960

Today, for the sake of this site, we are going back to a science fiction masterpiece. We are going back to the 1960 science fiction era, and reviewing “The Time Machine”. This of course was a movie that was adapted from the novella by H.G. Wells, and it is one of the classic movies that would garner a great deal of cult status after it was released. It would also win an Academy Award for the photographic effects that were included in the film. This is an interesting movie on a lot of levels, and it’s something that you must see, if you haven’t seen it before.

The story is simply enough, George is a man that has figured out time travel, and he wants to tell his friends about it. When none of them believe him, and they all just don’t’ really think he should be going forward or backwards in time for that matter. They all leave, and some just dismiss it, but he can’t stop himself from moving through time. So he gets into his time machine, which is a large contraption, and he goes through time. He stops in a few places, and he sees what would happen to his home, the future, the past, and then gets stuck in the year 802,701. He meets a tribe of people that willingly go to a suicidal location, but they don’t really understand what is going on. As George explores a bit more, he encounters Morlocks, and they are the villains that are killing people left and right, so he decides to rescue them and fights back. After fighting back and figuring out how to get rid of them, he travels back to his time and place. However, he decides that he doesn’t like it, so he heads back to spend time with the hot chicks in the future. Even though there’s an element that could easy become a porno movie, this is not exactly like the Peter North film that has a similar name.

The cast all look familiar to me. They include Rod Taylor, Alan Young, Yvette Mimieux, Tom Helmore, and Sebastian Cabot just to name a few. The film grain is great on DVD and Blu Ray, and I’m fascinated how the whole thing was restored and kept up for sound design and more. You’ll be shocked by how well it all looks today, even though this was made in the 1960s.

The overall plot and movie move fast, and while it’s not scary, it certainly follows the story of the H.G. Wells Novella really well. The time travel mechanic is fast, has no scientific basis, and really just formulates a monster movie plot that is quite fun to watch. I enjoyed the way the movie went forward, and it felt like a longer edition of “The Twilight Zone”, rather than a full length movie. It’s a testament to how well this movie worked back then, and how well it works now. I enjoyed it.

If you haven’t seen “The Time Machine” from 1960, perhaps it’s time to get your hands on this one. It works on many levels, and if you really want to dig into something from the past, this is a good one. It features good acting, excellent effects, and a story that is very much in the science fiction and horror genre, without pushing gore or anything like that. Heck, I’d let kids see this one, it’s that tame at times. It’s a good little movie, and one that many a nerd will reference here and there.

You can purchase “The Time Machine” on Blu Ray and other formats by clicking here, and I highly recommend you do so.

Kong: Skull Island (2017) Review

Kong: Skull Island 2017 

It has been a long time since I’ve seen a monster movie that was well worth the price of admission. I didn’t even see this movie when it came out in theaters. But after waiting for it to arrive on rentals, I finally decided to bite the bullet. At first glance, this seems like another blow out blockbuster, but there are layers to this movie that make it a lot of fun. Note, I said fun. If you apply logic, even though the movie begs you to do so, you’re going to be soured fast. I was soured by the logical problems associated with this film, but I did like the larger grandiose display. In fact, it’s a fun ride, with a lot of modern elements to cheer, more than the lack of logic, but hey, that’s Hollywood for ya, right? It’s an interesting romp that deals with a few key historical points, and lots of great editing. “Kong: Skull Island” could very well be the best monster, science fiction movie I’ve seen this year. But that’s not saying much, right?

The movie starts off with some killer editing. Richard Pearson’s editing job is great here. Larry Fong’s cinematography is great, and the music works to set up cues that are right for the time frame. There are some great moments here, and a bit of history to boot. The movie starts off in 1944, at the end of the second World War, and you get to see a group of individuals that are going to an uncharted island. They are going for a variety of reasons, but no one mentions Kong, until he shows up and strikes down the United States Military. Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, and Tom Hiddleston round out the major actors, and I didn’t even recognize Brie Larson at first glance. John C. Reilly also shows up, but you first get sequencing that sends the military group with scientists to the island to explore, chart, and map the terrain. This prompts Kong to show up and start defending his territory, and a revenge plot begins with Samuel L. Jackson becoming a badass throughout the movie.

The plot is simple, and the movie starts to make little sense as it goes through. I started to question the logic mid-way through the movie, but appreciated the spectacle. You cannot apply logical questions to the movie, because you’ll run yourself ragged. I did appreciate the visual design flow, and the beauty of the shots, as well as the great after effects work, green screen work, and practical effects that were used. A lot of work went into presenting the beauty of the Island, and the insanity that comes with fighting off a monster. I loved it.

The movie is not a bad one. I liked the flow, the action, and the dialogue at times. The editing really got to me. As a History major, I really loved the way the juxtaposition of real military elements were mixed in with the fantasy of Kong, and the ethos that went back to the classic monster movies. You may be a fan of the original King Kong movies, but this is definitely an upgraded, up to date, and inspired movie with a lot to offer. It’s swift, it’s slick, and it certainly has a lot of great action, although, it is missing that “Scary”, “horror” element that sunk into latter Kong movies. It’s a nice science fiction, monster movie, throwback, with a great visual design flow. I liked it, but probably won’t spend too much time watching it again and again like I did the originals.

You can buy “Kong: Skull Island”on Blu Ray by clicking here.

Did you see “Kong: Skull Island”? What did you think? Drop me a comment below.

Ghostbusters Review

The amount of hate that hit this movie before it was released was shocking. People apparently love to hate on anything and everything. The saddest part for me is that they make money off of this. I have been reviewing horror movies and culture on this site and others, and yet I don’t make a dime. I try, but no one buys anything, no ad companies are asking to help, and I can’t even find writers to help me write reviews. I forge on alone, and well, that’s not a bad thing, but it’s draining sometimes. So much negativity. Well, I put on my pants, and I went into see this travesty that some called it, and you know what? I didn’t know what to really expect. Ghostbusters opened this past weekend, and I got 2 tickets, a large soda, a large popcorn, and a very good Ecto Cooler cocktail at the AMC bar before the show.

Ghostbusters is a fun movie. It starts out really hard, and then softens up a little. The jokes are not insane, they are subtle at times, they are fun too. This is not the 1980s, and the pacing of this movie shows it. Things go by a little faster. The cinematography wasn’t terrible, the story wasn’t insane, but rather in line with a lot of the elements that you would expect from the series.

The acting was not bad, the movie heralded some good, overall moments. I didn’t hate anything I saw in this movie, and at times, I wanted to join in on throwing tomatoes. Instead, the plot of a few scientifically driven women to capture paranormal activity was done well. From the opening to the finale, I had a good amount of fun with Ghostbusters. I didn’t take it too seriously, and I viewed it with an open mind.

I am older than most of the idiots that are talking bad about this movie. I loved this. I really wished I had a daughter to share the amount of empowerment showcased in this movie. The standout for me was the interaction between the women. There’s a lot of little things, from hand gestures, to looks, to smiles, that make this movie fun. The plot is simple. Someone’s trying to open up portals to ghosts and become a super power. It’s up to these women to stop it. The movie then moves forward into a hero’s story with this team getting through some great visual effects, and some fun musical cues.

There’s a lot of cameos that you may not realize, and some that are absolutely obvious. Overall, Ghostbusters didn’t deserve the hate. Not even from the Angry Video Game Nerd, which has let the money go to his head. Must be nice to be rich. I’m not. I loved this movie, and am still impressed with some of the set designs and notes that made it into this movie. Look, if you love movies, you will love this. It’s a popcorn flick, simple as that. It’s not meant to be Oscar Award Winning cinema, and it never feels that way. So there you have it, go see it, disagree with me, and review it for yourself. Don’t let idiots sway you, this is a fun romp.

Love the original Ghostbusters? Then here's the complete box set for the originals, buy it before they change it for good:

Interstellar Review

I didn’t want to watch Interstellar when it first came out. I thought it would be boring. So I didn’t watch it until it finally came out to streaming. After seeing it, I can definitely say it is one of my favorite science fiction movies. If I had a top 3 for last year, I would say that Ex Machina, Elysium, and Interstellar as my favorites from the past year. Whatever the case may be, this is a movie that deserves your time, even if some may say that it’s too long. Interstellar is one hell of a movie.

The movie has a complex premise. The world, in the future, is getting dusty and farmers are going to have a difficult time feeding the world. NASA needs to send astronauts to other worlds to get data to inhabit another earth, or humanity is doomed. Meanwhile there’s an issue going on at a former pilot’s house. A smart daughter, a dumb son, and their future seems to be pushing forward through life, setting up something grand for the future. Now, there’s a subplot here involving a ghost, and the first lines of the film give away that, but most don’t realize what is going on, so they keep going. The movie then pushes forward with our astronauts heading to a new planet to see what is going on.

In the course of over 3 hours, we meet our astronauts, NASA, and much more. There are surprising elements, including a villain that is cryogenic freeze. A fist fight on another planet, and an incredible tidal wave that looks like a building. Science is explained often, and there’s even a video about all the science issues that are described in the movie done by Cinemasins.

You can purchase Interstellar on Blu Ray Here (amazon).

Interstellar is a long movie. It’s a long epic film that nods at Stanley Kubrick’s vision from the past, but gives you something new. There’s a lot of heady material here. It’s perhaps the most science heavy movie that I’ve seen, and really enjoyed the way the movie comes through. The larger picture is a lot more villainous than meets the eye, and it’s done in such an interesting manner. Christopher Nolan pushes the limits here, once again giving you a visual feast. The movie is spotless in a lot of ways, and deserves to be seen in a large format. Imax would’ve been absolutely splendid.

The movie is hard to watch if you’re tired. It’s not action packed. There are no explosions for the sake of it, there’s nothing that you would find in a Michael Bay film. There’s a lot of layers to this movie. From science, cinematography, art, and acting. Even though there are minor gripes, the majority of the movie’s focus on love, loss, distance, time, science, time travel, and visual design is epic in scope. It’s for this reason why we go to the movies. I was more compelled by Interstellar than ANY Star Wars film ever made. There’s a reason why this movie lost so many, and it’s an intelligence factor that wins me over.

There’s fear in this movie, a real fear. You’re going to sense it as you get into the isolation that the astronauts are in. The performances are done well, including the future, past, and present. I am once again completely flabbergasted by Matthew McConaughey’s performance. Anne Hathaway is good, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, and Matt Damon put on a showcase. There are some other great performances here, but this movie really does great to showcase the power of acting, and cinema as a whole.

Interstellar is a heady film. It’s on the same par as Primer and Timecrimes. Two of my personal favorite movies. You have to check this one out. It’s a beautiful movie. It’s available right now on Blu RAY and quite a hefty movie. It is more than just a science fiction movie, and you’ll see it when you decide to settle in for the moody dialogue and more.

Check out Cinemasins below to see spoilers, and science notes about the movie.

Shadow of A Doubt Review

"Shadow of A Doubt" (1943) Blu Ray 

Turn back the clock to 1943, and you will have a different view of Hollywood. Movies didn’t always rely on explosions and cheap tricks to get you entertained. They featured strong performances from actors, great lighting, camera tricks, and professional writers that knew what they were doing. Of course this is a classic in many people’s views, and it was nominated for an Academy Award because of it. "Shadow of A Doubt" is a movie that was directed by the master of suspense and horror, Alfred Hitchcock. It stars Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotton, Macdonald Carey, and Patricia Collinge.

The plot of this one is simple, Charlotte Newton is stuck in a boring town, and gets the news that her uncle is going to come to town. Set in Santa, Rosa California, this seems like a simplistic plot. A young woman is getting a visit from her uncle and that’s it, right? Nope. Her Uncle is hiding something, but what? It turns out that he is a slasher, and she worries that she may be his next victim. Over the course of the 108 minutes of this movie, she unravels a case against him, and eventually confronts him.

The movie here is going to be boring to many. Remember, this is 1943 in which the film was released and you are not going to get the modern fast paced story telling. There’s a lot of dialogue and push forward to give a sense of suspense. Even though there are some marks of horror, you’re going to find that this is a straightforward thriller, with a slow progression that tightens towards the climax. The final moments carry over into an epilogue that has a sense of finality, but overall, you find a standard suspense film. Is Uncle Charlie a killer? Is Charlotte just worried for nothing? You find it through the sequences that Hitchcock masterfully puts together.

Visually this movie is good, with cinematographer Joseph A. Valentine doing a great deal of work to make this story come to life. I find it refreshing to see Charlotte as a strong female lead, and not just running around screaming for her life as a killer is on the loose. She has resolve, and is a feminist heroine that most people skip over when thinking about horror and suspense.

Overall, this is an instant classic. You have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy it, however. It’s in black and white, it’s somewhat slow to start, and definitely requires your full attention to get the work that Hitchcock pushes through. You may not like it. However, if you’re a fan of the classics, this is a great one to sit back and enjoy. They remade this one as “Step Down To Terror” in 1958, but this one is better, in my opinion.

Pick up “Shadow of a Doubt” on Blu Ray if you know what’s good for you. Otherwise, stay in the dark and never learn just how good Hitchcock was as a director.

Ex Machina Review

When I first saw the trailers for “Ex Machina” I told my wife that I was in. We agreed to see it, but we were in transition. We moved to Indianapolis, and well, we never got around to catching up with this movie at the time. However, I finally got to sit down and watch this one. I liked the style of the trailer, the colors, the language, the visual design flow that was throughout the trailer and of course the editing, wow. I was sold.

The plot of this one revolves around an interesting premise. A computer programmer wins the trip of a life time, to spend a week with the company’s CEO amidst a secluded area. This is like going to Jurassic Park to meet the owner, but without the dinosaurs, and it’s tremendous how they showcase it. I imagine it’s kind of like going to Skywalker Ranch or something. Anyways, the programmer meets the CEO named Nathan and he’s a cool dude. He has a huge estate, gives Caleb the rundown and he is to perform a test with one of the robots that is on premise. The robot has an AI feature that may be evolving to a point of being self-aware.

The movie progresses in the way that you’d expect “Ex Machina” to go. Is the android self-aware? Who is the mystery woman showing up and cleaning? What is really going on? As the movie progresses Caleb’s testing turns into a sinister point in which he starts to lose his mind, as the robot seems to be aware, and Nathan’s been lying to him. Or has he? The movie turns a screw very well, and you never get bored. You are given ample time to digest the movie, and by the time you realize what’s going on, things break loose.

This is a very good work of science fiction. It has a true emotional connection, and there is a lot to see here. I found myself asking questions that were answered by Nathan and Caleb’s discussions. There’s a lot to this movie. You will have a lot of layers going through the motions, trying to pick up what’s going on and you end up in a positive arena throughout, although this takes you into some deep, dark territories.

There’s a certain scary element to it, something about human nature and the need to create. There’s a point where playing God is discussed. But it’s given to a larger vantage point, and by the time Caleb realizes what he’s doing, Nathan’s already two steps ahead, or so he thinks. It’s a back and forth cerebral movie that doesn’t have bells and whistles that you are expecting. There’s no big explosion here, there’s no padding, no slapstick, as the movie progresses into a more philosophical realm. Whereas “Elysium” had a lot more entertainment, this strips down to just the story elements, the science, and the bigger questions.

It’s thematic, it’s sexy, it is gloriously filmed. There’s a lot to this one. It has the best visual style that I’ve seen in a science fiction release up to this point. With a limited budget, and attention to editing, dialogue, and story, “Ex Machina” easily has my vote for best movie to come out in the last year. It gets my highest recommendation. With a limited cast, and a serious touch here and there, you really get involved with the characters, as it doesn’t pull away from being smart, savvy, and entertaining. The use of color, the set design, the science, and the real world touches make this one a must see on Blu RAY.

I highly recommend “Ex Machina”, and you can pick it up on BLU Ray by clicking here. Do it.

American Horror Story Freak Show Made Me Tear Up A Little

I hate the term binge watching, but I did it recently. I once again fell for the Netflix plan. I picked it up and it was fine, but I don’t love Netflix. That’s for another day. I did manage to have it in time to see all of American Horror story Freak Show. I won’t go into a lot of details or try to review every single episode. Instead, I’m going to talk about 5 major points that I liked and possibly didn’t like about it. It’s not a perfect showcase, and it’s not my favorite of the series. My favorite so far was “Coven”, but this time around there were a lot of elements to like about it. I would even go as far as to say that I wouldn’t mind getting it on blu ray, and that’s very rare for me. I don’t buy a lot of blu ray, but I do admire those that have good collections. I’m just not a collector any more, at least not like I once was.

The Characters

The characters involved with “Freak Show” are amazing. I loved them all in their own unique ways. I even loved Jessica Lange. I loved her portrayal, and the compassion that she had at times for her “freaks”. I thought Sarah Paulson was absolutely amazing too. Every character and actor that was in this show was grand, and I loved every little nuance about it. The characters had charm, they had a sense of belonging, and just held a lot of great elements overall. I liked the way each one was portrayed, and each one had something to love about them.

The Costume and Lighting

The visual design flow of “American Horror Story Freak Show” is bar none some of my favorite design ever. The design flow that was done here was fabulous. From the lighting changes, to the fish eye lens changes, the colors used, and the prominent changeover of lighting and set pieces. I loved the costumes, I thought each puzzle piece fit the theme very well and that’s something that I don’t usually pay attention to.

The Overall Horror Themes

There are some stark themes here. The homosexual “Strong Man” story really hit hard. The “lobster boy” connection was heavy handed too. I loved the killer clown concept, and I love the throwback to “Houdini” at one point. The overall horror themes here run all over the place. They pick up on all sorts of fears, and just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, the ending wraps up the insanity of the show. I loved it. I loved the pieces and the continual storytelling.

Neil Patrick Harris

There was a lot of hype about this. I read a lot about Neil Patrick Harris jumping into the show. I didn’t see it air, but when he showed up for 2 episodes, holy crap. This guy can really act, and the creep factor that was involved with his character rose to all new levels. I loved the sensuality of the story he was in, and the overall colors, themes, and psychosis involved is absolutely brilliant. That made the show for me, and they certainly chose a great point to throw him into, in my opinion.

The Tipping Point (Crying)

Few shows get me. Few movies get me. However, when the ending started to showcase the true nature of the larger story line, I teared up a lot. I teared up with the connections to the “Asylum”, and I teared up when the “Freaks” were treated as disposable figures. I couldn’t help it. Maybe I’m a freak? I don’t know. It was heavy handed. But the revenge angle and the finale was great in my view, and I liked how it was all wrapped up. I also loved the musical cues from Lana Del Rey to David Bowie, the sound design was absolutely great in the series.

“American Horror Story Freak Show” is perhaps the best of the series. I am now watching “Hotel” and I am not as fascinated. I don’t care about vampirism. I don’t care about Lady Gaga, and I sure as hell do not care about Los Angeles. I highly recommend “Freak Show” however. I can’t wait to dive into the Blu Ray and see it again.

If you're going to pick up "American Horror Story: Freak Show" do so HERE. 

Elysium Review

I am pretty jaded about a lot of things. However, this weekend I was able to sit down and watch Elysium on blu ray. I’m one of the few that still rents movies from Netflix, and this was definitely one of the options I have been waiting to see for some time. I didn’t know anything about the movie going in, other than it was a science fiction movie and that Matt Damon was in it. That’s all I knew about it.

The story as it goes is a compelling one. The visual design flow of the movie is absolutely fantastic. There’s a lot going for this movie in terms of looks. I love the views. I love the presentation of a dystopian Los Angeles in contrast to the Elysium luxury living element. I loved the clarity of the presentation, and I didn’t get lost in anything.

The movie flows through a major theme of poverty, immigration, and the future. I felt compelled by the story because I am a naturalized American. I was born in Mexico and came to this country for a better life, and in the movie it’s represented in a fashion that is closely held to my heart. It showcases a struggle, and it showcases reality in ways that great media does.

Aside from the themes, we get a good performance from Matt Damon. I loved his working class job, his heroics in hopes of helping himself not only live, but his first love’s child live. I love the juxtaposition created with the rogue agent as well, and the political elements involved were grand too. Overall, the movie had a lot to offer in terms of story, visuals, and continuity.

This movie made a lot more sense in terms of fighting and themes than “The Dark Knight”. I loved the way things moved forward in this and the social class, justice system, and science fiction elements all work like a very good novel. I knew the story before I saw it happen on screen as there’s some predictable moments here. However, I found myself completely enthralled with the movie as a whole. There are so many great elements here, and the end result, is a hero’s tale that is absolute, it’s perfect. I loved it.

Elysium is the best movie I’ve seen in a long time. Thematically it’s brilliant. The acting is good. There is a lot here, especially in terms of fighting, political exploitation, and so much more. There’s layers to this. I don’t know, maybe I just connected with the notion of immigration and health care. Maybe it’s not that great, but I know one thing’s for sure, this is a heady and serious movie if you let it be. Otherwise, it’s an entertaining science fiction movie with lots of tropes you already know, but with a passion for something greater. I loved it. I highly recommend this one. Visually complex, great narrative, and heavy handed at times, I think it’s the best in a long time.

Pick up Elysium on BLU RAY here, It’s a great science fiction picture.

Jurassic World Review

I just moved to a new city, a new state, and hit the reset button on this website. I was told that Amazon links aren’t going to work within the frames, so the archives are going to get a little bit of a shift. However, from what I know about these things, most of you aren’t clicking on anything, or buying from the links, so who gives a flying you know what. This weekend, as I settled into a new city, I went to the movies to see what the hype was all about with the new Jurassic World movie. It turns out, it’s a big pile of trash.

Nonsensical Decision Making

First and foremost, the characters all make and say the most asinine things, without any form of continuity. Sure, there are some that may argue about duality, or split personality or rationale, but there are some concrete elements that aren’t very good. For instance, the owner of the park wants to push the legacy of Hammond (the old guy in the original), but later doesn’t want to kill a serious threat to the safety of the park’s visitors because they’ve invested far too much money. This sort of dichotomy doesn’t make any sense, considering the character’s role. Oh, and of course, he dies by his own foreshadowing. This is not just him, there are several rash decisions. Not only that, why are villains just villains? There’s no storytelling, no reasoning, no greed, no back story, just stupidity. At one point the hero punches another for NO reason, none at all. Just because? Why? No explanation, we just have to accept it.

A Monster Movie None The Less

Let’s not fool ourselves. This is not an epic movie. The sweeping, and empathetic elements of Jurassic Park, the original are gone. This is a void piece of garbage. The cash grabs for Starbucks, Mercedes, Jamba Juice, Dairy Queen, and lots of other sponsors blatantly in the film doesn’t add up for me. The sweeping shots of the Mercedes emblem is far pushier than the original. Not to mention, the characters play absolutely dumb one minute, than smart the next, and even genius level when two kids miraculously know how to put an old Jeep Wrangler together after it’s been sitting idle for at least 20 years.

See Carnosaur Instead

Overall, Jurassic World has a good premise, but it’s a far cry from the intelligence of the original novel, and even the movie. If you hated Jurassic Park 2 and 3, then this is going to be right there with them. This movie was NOT needed, and plays with your logic worse than any horror movie I’ve seen in a long time. I would not recommend spending $34 to see this. That’s my total and I struggled to stay awake with this terribly plotted, ridiculous movie.

Then again, dinosaurs are cool? At least Carnosaur didn’t have the pretense. Jurassic World is the “hipster” of dino-monster movies. Yeah, I said it.

Death Race 3 Inferno Review

I ate the worst burrito in the world today, and then fell asleep. When I woke up, I had a headache and one thing on my mind, Death Race 3. This movie is the third of the sequels that came through with the remake featuring Jason Statham, only this is straight to video and stars Danny Trejo, and Luke Goss. This time around the formula is similar, but has been thrown into a washing machine, because you’re going to find it to either be very boring, or quite fascinating towards the end. I found it tedious to start, but then things really took a turn for the better, and this started to make a lot more sense.

The movie centers on Luke and his pit crew getting sent to South Africa to start racing for a new prison warden. The warden is taking things international, and he’s throwing out the old policy of freedom after winning 5 times. Frankenstein is on the verge of winning big, but now he’s stuck trying to fight back and he’s not going to get any leverage. Meanwhile, he reveals to his crew that the person under the mask is none other than Carl Lucas aka Luke. The gang hates him, but oh well, he then reveals the real reason they are there.

As you expected, there is some racing here. However, the Ford Mustang is gone. Goodbye mustang and hello some dune boogie piece of crap. The rest of the cars are all retrofitted for the sands and dunes of this desert prison area. I don’t like it, but then again, it works for what it is. As the movie progresses, the teams race and things go in order as you would expect. There are minor details here and there that makes this more of a combat movie, then things explode into a frenzy towards the end of the film.

In the third act you start to realize that Frankenstein is not going to win, he has other plans. With a stroke of genius, or perhaps luck, this whole things blows up in the favor of Frankenstein when he and his crew escape the prison with the help of an insider and a new guy changes places with him. This is very much like the first movie, and it goes in line with the notion that the monster can be replaced by any idiot. As you start to wonder why this is all going down the way it is, you’re given the full reveal. The movie bounces back to where Lucas was giving away his “truth” and you realize this was the plan all along.

Death Race 3 Inferno is not a great movie. However, if you’ve invested in the first two, you might as well finish this one. I found it to be slow at first, but there’s enough action and a good fourth act to really get into it. I actually didn’t hate it that much, and that’s saying a lot. Tanit Phoenix is hot, and waiting for a nip slip is about as crazy as you’re going to get here. I liked the grindhouse style, and I do appreciate the continuity, but overall, this is not as good as the first, and that’s not exactly “Citizen Kane” or anything. Overall, if you’re going to get this, get it as part of the Death Race Trilogy or don’t watch it. Then again, buy something, I need the money, and you need to add another dvd to your collection, so how about it?

Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.

Death Race 2 Review

I remember when I first saw the remake of Death Race. I was living in Seattle and was at a mall. While walking through the mall, I noticed that a jean company was giving away movie tickets for trying on pants. I was curious, so I went in and tried on a pair of pants and afterwards was given a certificate to use for the movies. Since nothing was really out, I decided to look into Death Race, the remake, and was surprised with the film itself.

Fast forward 5 years or so and I finally sit down to check out this movie. While it’s not a horror film, and it’s not meant to be, there are some nice moments that remind me of grindhouse cinema, especially the way the gore gets ramped up towards the mid-point and end of this movie. Death Race 2 is a prequel to the Death Race series and goes into looking into “Frankenstein” the mythical driver. While I appreciated the original, and liked the remake a bit, this is one that really grew on me. I didn’t like it at first, and really thought it suffered from horrendous plotting, and terrible acting. However, Luke Goss sold me on it towards the middle of the film and Ving Rhames definitely adds some character. The movie has some sick driving at first too, and I’m a huge fan of the Cobra Mustang, so seeing that run through the action was good.

The preliminary set up for this movie is that criminals are fighting to the death via pay per view or internet streaming. That goes so far and eventually the whole thing is turned into a race to the death around Terminal Island. It’s within that realm that Luke gets burned alive and creates the template for Frankenstein!

Overall this movie is not great. However, there are some really good elements in it, and I couldn’t stop staring at Lauren Cohen’s cleavage. Wow! I’m just saying, what an amazing, never mind. The movie flows through the same elements you would expect from the previous incarnation, and you get some nice driving sequences. However, you’ll have to turn your brain off for this one, there are loopholes everywhere and it’s completely unbelievable at times.

Death Race 2 has some nice driving, some good action, and it sits well with me. Danny Trejo’s involvement sold it for me. With all that in mind, you’ll want to check this one out as a way to unwind and really not think about anything important. It has an ok soundtrack, some good driving sequences with the Mustang, and Laruen Cohen’s cleavage. Solid release, and a start to something more compelling, I’m sure. Rent it, buy it, do something.

Looking for grindhouse, horror, or sci-fi films? Please check out our amazon astore featuring all things horror. Don't trust astore? Check out amazon.com, surprisingly they have more grindhouse,horror,and rare sci-fi than you may not have thought possible.

Cannibal Women in The Avocado Jungle of Death Review – Elvira’s 13 Nights of Horror Edition

Hulu and Elvira Team Up 2014

Hulu is running 13 Nights of Elvira and I have been watching, but haven’t had time to sit and review all of them. But low and behold, here I am with another review of the movie and the comedic antics of Elvira on this latest and greatest release. I still pine for the days that I stayed up late to catch her show, and while I did appreciate the boobs, I loved her quick wit, and that’s what you get here.

This time around in the creature feature, we get an absurd horror comedy “Cannibal Women in The Avocado Jungle”, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen this one. Bill Maher’s role in it was hilarious, so you know, but the premise of the story is beyond anything I’ve ever seen, and it’s just absurd. I grew up in Los Angeles, and the things mentioned in this movie are just insane. The script is about as good as my favorite porno movie “Sex Commandos”, which tells you how deep this one is. I did however appreciate Shannon Tweed. She is absolutely beautiful here, at least in my opinion. I love the “smart” woman cliché here, and of course the Karen Waldron as “Bunny” is also a funny take on the bimbo in college. I sometimes wish my college years had a “Bunny”, but instead I got a sausage fest at art school when all the ladies dropped out and left me without any sort of engagement opportunities.

Right, back to the movie. The movie has a professor being asked to go into the jungle to find a feminist leader that has gone lost and perhaps may have been taken by cannibal women. When Dr. Margo Hunt is asked to go in, she takes on a young student and seeks out a bounty hunter named Jim to go into the jungle and rescue the lost feminist doctor. The trio move into San Bernardino, California (where there is no jungle), and encounter topless females and lots of action. Ok, no action, no sex, just topless women and Bill Maher’s one liners and stupid bandana on his neck.

The movie flows well enough and at every chance Elvira’s notes come up like “pop up video” and she comes through in full video and sound a few times. She’s more absent here than in the “Hobgoblins” movie, but she’s still featured readily. The movie progresses with a fight to the death between Dr. Hunt and Dr. Kurtz with Jim nearly getting sacrificed by the Cannibal Women. Kurtz of course has become the leader of the feminist cannibal tribe, and Dr. Hunt wants peace between another tribe that is in the region. All in all this gets convoluted and tiring to really watch and explain, but Shannon Tweed and Bill Maher’s constant back and forth made it watchable.

“Cannibal Women in The Avocado Jungle of Death” wasn’t meant to be taken too seriously, and it shows. It’s a laughable movie at best. I would’ve rented it as a teen because it was boxed in an “18” and over box and it promised or at least looked as though there would be more nudity than there was. I didn’t hate it, but I definitely didn’t love it. Elvira’s quips made it watchable, and Maher is funny with his random rants. The slapstick humor here is classic, including Disney jokes, sex jokes, and the whole bar scene where mercenaries were just randomly hanging out was great too. A good romp, worthy of this season and beyond.

5 Faces of Evil Starring Richard Lynch

In what could be one of the best series of articles, Scary Film is proud to present to you another voice from the world of horror movie fans. So now, you can't blame me for a crappy website, not that Jason will bring to you crap articles. No pressure Jason. Below you will find a post that highlights 5 faces of evil from actor Richard Lynch. A very  underrated villain, and someone that could easily replace Erik Roberts half the time. How does that guy keep getting hired? Seriously. Unfortunately Richard Lynch passed, which means Roberts will continue to suck up screen time. But then again, age, differences in casting directors, opinions and other crap. What do I know? Obviously not enough. So without further input from me, here's 5 faces of evil starring Richard Lynch. If you want to support the blog and help get Jason a paycheck click the links buy the dvd and please leave us a comment, what do you think about all this? Your pal, Sir J. 

 I've always thought Richard Lynch was one of the greatest movie villains of all time. Why he never faced James Bond I'll never know. Richard Lynch appeared in over 100 film and television projects from 1967 up until his death in 2012 at 72. He list of television appearances alone boggles my mind, Baywatch, Fall Guy, Highlander, ST:TNG, A-Team, Buck Rodgers, Battlestar Galactica etc, etc, need I say more? Below are five of his most fiendish rolls.

1. Invasion U.S.A (1985)

Cannon Films(you know it has to be 80's cheese)

Richard Lynch plays Mikhail Rostov a Soviet agent leading a group of Latin American Communists bent on destroying the fabric of America. I saw this movie for the first time on HBO when I was only six years old. Mr. Lynch's crazed snarling performance left and indelible mark on me forever. Lynch is the perfect foil for the quiet, denim and uzi rocking Hunter (Chuck Norris) who is bent on ending Rostov's terror. I'll be honest I'm writing this whole article just because I saw this movie last night! Let's not forget that director Joseph Zito also directed Red Scorpion, Missing in Action, The Prowler & Friday the 13th 4 (you know the last good one)!

2. Sword and The Sorcerer (1982)



Richard Lynch neither plays the Sword or the Sorcerer in this amazing early 80's fantasy film. He instead plays the mad King Cromwell who revives evil Sorcerer Xusia (Night Court's Richard Moll) so he can conquer another kingdom. Unfortunately the King's rival Talon has a three bladed, projectile shooting sword that ends his evil reign. Richard Lynch won a Saturn Award for best supporting actor on this film. This is my favorite Sword & Sandal epic of the 80's, hands down classic.

3. Bad Dreams (1988)

This time around Richard plays insane cult leader Franklin Harris. Franklin has decided that a mass suicide by fire is just what the group needs to move on to the next plane of existence. A younger member of the group Cynthia (Jennifer Rubin) survives and finds herself haunted by visions of Franklin 12 years later as people around her start to die mysteriously. Growing up I always felt that Bad Dreams was just a bad Freddy knock off. I give it some points though since it's produced by hall of famer Gale Ann Hurd, who's responsible for many of my favorite films. Great film though for Lynch fans, lots of him showing up out of nowhere saying weird scary stuff.

4. Scanner Cop (1994)

Original Scanners producer Pierre David made his directorial debut with the fourth entry in the Scanners series. This is one of those films where the camera gets really, really close to everybody for dramatic effect. He's thinking hard lets look up his nose!! So Richard Lynch is the baddie again and I hope this doesn't ruin anything for you but at the end of the film his head explodes. This even happens after it's revealed that Lynch's character had a steel plate installed over his brain to protect against this sort of attack. Probably too late to get his money back, sheesh that goes for both of us.

5. Vampire (1979)

As the sun sets on the wild streets of late 70's San Francisco something awakens at the base of soon to be built church. Making a guttural noise similar to Mason Verger's boars, Richard Lynch lunges from the dirt a shirtless vampire who has been asleep since the 40's. A Retired cop E.G. Marshall and architect Jason Miller (The Exorcist) are the only two who stand in the way of Lynch. This made for TV movie was suppose to be a pilot, but things never went any farther than the movie. Richard Lynch had often said that this was his favorite roll.

A sad fact about Mr. Lynch; his distinctive look was due to an experience he had in 1967 on LSD. While on the bad trip Mr. Lynch lit himself on fire in Central Park.

5 Faces of Evil Starring Richard Lynch by
Jason Parker

Bio: Alaska ex-pat who has dreams of the fashion industry while working in the film industry. When I'm not writing about food or movies you can either find me at the prop rental house I manage or on set doing production design. I try to write about everything I love. Check out my food and film industry blog. sharingmylifewithfood.blogspot.com, http://jasonisinthefilmbusiness.blogspot.com/