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Andy K (10821 KP) rated The Gate (1987) in Movies
Sep 29, 2019
Gremlins meets Explorers in some good 80's fun!
After a lightning storm, a major tree get uprooted in the suburban back yard of Glen and his sometimes nice big sister, Al. Glen and his best friend Terry proceed to investigate and discover some cool geode stones. At the same time, Glen and Al's parents are going away and leaving the teen and pre-teens home alone (doesn't this always happen in 80's movies).
All seems well enough until the boys split the geode and it spurts out some ancient writing that Glen reads aloud. Al decides to have a party while her parents are away (go figure) where Glen is levitated during a mini seance. Terry discovers during one of his headbanging sessions some of these events coincidentally are said to open a demonic gate where strange creatures can emerge, torment those they find and ravage the Earth.
The three protagonists decide to try and close the "gate" by reading ancient text and Bible verses. This proves successful and small, feisty demons begin to appear and creep into their house. After several run ins, more unusual things start happening within the home, possibly as a precursor for something even bigger on the horizon.
The teens must formulate a plan to dispose of their new house-guests before it is too late!
Funny that Glen is played by a very young Stephen Dorff in his very first role. He reminds me of a young Ethan Hawke in Explorers as his nerd friend Terry reminds me of River Phoenix in the same film.
The movie is cheesy with dated special and optical effects that modern audiences might get annoyed by or find lame and of poor quality. The small demons are more funny than they are scary, but I still enjoyed seeing them on screen. I actually thought it was stop motion animation similar to a Ray Harryhausen film like Clash of the Titans, but they were actually actors in demon costumes and then shot in forced perspective to make them seem smaller.
The movie is only 85 minutes and the plot does take a little while to get going. The first half of the movie is more like every 80's movie you have ever seen with dated hairstyles, clothing and dialogue, but once the demon stuff manifests it becomes more interesting.
Even though PG-13 with some semi scary moments, the movie does seem the style of Gremlins meaning maybe aiming more for a younger audience rather than being excessively disgusting or graphic.
Hopefully you can put aside the elements I mentioned that aren't up to today's standards and enjoy the cute, interesting story this film inhabits. I surely did.
All seems well enough until the boys split the geode and it spurts out some ancient writing that Glen reads aloud. Al decides to have a party while her parents are away (go figure) where Glen is levitated during a mini seance. Terry discovers during one of his headbanging sessions some of these events coincidentally are said to open a demonic gate where strange creatures can emerge, torment those they find and ravage the Earth.
The three protagonists decide to try and close the "gate" by reading ancient text and Bible verses. This proves successful and small, feisty demons begin to appear and creep into their house. After several run ins, more unusual things start happening within the home, possibly as a precursor for something even bigger on the horizon.
The teens must formulate a plan to dispose of their new house-guests before it is too late!
Funny that Glen is played by a very young Stephen Dorff in his very first role. He reminds me of a young Ethan Hawke in Explorers as his nerd friend Terry reminds me of River Phoenix in the same film.
The movie is cheesy with dated special and optical effects that modern audiences might get annoyed by or find lame and of poor quality. The small demons are more funny than they are scary, but I still enjoyed seeing them on screen. I actually thought it was stop motion animation similar to a Ray Harryhausen film like Clash of the Titans, but they were actually actors in demon costumes and then shot in forced perspective to make them seem smaller.
The movie is only 85 minutes and the plot does take a little while to get going. The first half of the movie is more like every 80's movie you have ever seen with dated hairstyles, clothing and dialogue, but once the demon stuff manifests it becomes more interesting.
Even though PG-13 with some semi scary moments, the movie does seem the style of Gremlins meaning maybe aiming more for a younger audience rather than being excessively disgusting or graphic.
Hopefully you can put aside the elements I mentioned that aren't up to today's standards and enjoy the cute, interesting story this film inhabits. I surely did.
Darren Fisher (2447 KP) rated Shark's Paradise (1986) in Movies
Dec 12, 2020 (Updated Dec 12, 2020)
"Get your damn hands off me or I'll give you a social disease you wouldn't believe...!"
This is a pretty crazy Australian made for TV film. Throw in every film cliché you can mention, some extremely bad 80's fashion, hilariously bad dialogue, speed boats, car chases and you get the Aussie equivalent of Miami Vice with sharks... well almost. It's great fun and there's never a dull moment. Don't expect much shark action though. Apart from a couple of brief scenes at the beginning and the end the sharks are barely in it. Not that it really matters. The idea that a mad genius(?) is holding a city to ransom with the threat of sending 100's of sharks to their coastlines to decimate the public is fun but the loop hole is massive (erm... just stay out the bloody water!). When our leading lady is hanging off the feet of a helicopter it is so glaringly obvious it's a stunt double (twice the size of the actress and more 'blokey' looking). I laughed my ass off all the way through. An added bonus is the soundtrack, featuring the likes of Split Enz, INXS and The Hoodoo Gurus and The Church among others. Trashy fun. Neat!
More Specials by Specials
8.0
Rate It
Album
The Specials are one of the defining bands of the late 70's/early 80's along with Jerry Dammers...
SpykDaBarstud (3 KP) rated John Dies at the End in Books
May 15, 2017
Loveable characters (1 more)
Fun, engaging story
Almost as weird as me!
There aren't many books that you can read from start to finish, every time you finish. This one is a rarity, with an story reminiscent of 80's horror, and with a nostalgic comedy feel, throughout. A book about supernatural sci-fi, with a very fresh style, John Dies At The End does a fantastic job at having you relate to its characters. There's a warmth to the descriptiveness of the book, that instantly nurtures your empathy for the colourful occupants of this mind-altering adventure.
The novel does twist and turn, with a number of surprises, and comes to a cataclysmic end, that leaves you wanting more, and ready for the sequel (also excellent), but entirely satisfied at the close of this story.
A must read for any horror or sci-fi fan.
The novel does twist and turn, with a number of surprises, and comes to a cataclysmic end, that leaves you wanting more, and ready for the sequel (also excellent), but entirely satisfied at the close of this story.
A must read for any horror or sci-fi fan.
Dean (6926 KP) rated Ready Player One (2018) in Movies
Mar 29, 2018
Great Pop culture Sci-fi film
I had no idea this was based on a book so can't compare it. The trailer hooked me as I've been a gamer for a long while and obvious a big film fan. Part of the fun of this film is spotting all the characters from games and film included in it, many blink and you'll miss it moments. Surprised at the amount of horror film references as well but a bonus for someone like me.
The action and visuals are great, although at times for long periods it feels like watching a video game. The story is actually fairly basic and similar in plot to many films. Overall a very enjoyable film especially if you grew up in the 80's, if not actually ground breaking.
The action and visuals are great, although at times for long periods it feels like watching a video game. The story is actually fairly basic and similar in plot to many films. Overall a very enjoyable film especially if you grew up in the 80's, if not actually ground breaking.
UFO Master Blaster
Games
App
How to play: * The lowest 1/4 of the screen guides the missile left and right * * The upper 3/4 of...
Dean (6926 KP) rated Widows (2018) in Movies
Oct 4, 2019
A heist film that doesn't quite payoff
A film that's based on an early 80's TV series of the same name. After seeing the cast line up and directed by Steve McQueen I was looking forward to this. It does have a great ensemble cast although the main plot is quite simple and a bit predictable. There are many layers to this film, with plenty of social comments on many themes. Something you expect from Steve McQueen. As a result though the actual heist almost plays second fiddle to all the other subplots and insights. I really thought the heist part would be very clever and elaborate. Instead it pales in comparison to many others of a similar genre. See it for the performances, story and not for the action of the heist itself. This way you'll enjoy the film a lot more.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Joker (2019) in Movies
Nov 4, 2019 (Updated Nov 4, 2019)
The Killing Joke
I finally saw Joker yesterday with a full crowd of people in the theater. Which i was surpise of because it has been out for a month now. But the crowd and i loved Joker.
This is my favorite movie so far of this year. It is psychological, horrorfying, and it takes the Joker charcter on a whole nother level. Joker takes place in the 80's and as a origin movie, Joker is dark, twisted, moody, and terrorfying movie.
Joaquin Phoenix, Frances Conroy and Robert De Niro are excellent in this movie. Both Joaquin Phoenix and Frances Conroy should get nomiated for the oscars.
Joaquin Phoenix takes elements from Cesar Ramero's Joker, Jack Nicolson's Joker and Heath Ledgar and make its it his own. His laugh is perfect. Its scary and so phenomal.
Lets talk about the plot: Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks -- the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he's part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.
The way their protray Gotham City in the 80's is perfect. Gotham City, this time is New York City and I think thats perfect.
Joker is the first live-action theatrical Batman film to receive an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America, due to its violent and disturbing content. It is also the best DC film since The Dark Knight Rises.
Joker is a memorizing movie, it is psychological, it is twisted, dark and gloomy.
Joker is a highly reccordmend movie, if you havent seen it yet, than i highly reccordmend you see it.
This is my favorite movie so far of this year. It is psychological, horrorfying, and it takes the Joker charcter on a whole nother level. Joker takes place in the 80's and as a origin movie, Joker is dark, twisted, moody, and terrorfying movie.
Joaquin Phoenix, Frances Conroy and Robert De Niro are excellent in this movie. Both Joaquin Phoenix and Frances Conroy should get nomiated for the oscars.
Joaquin Phoenix takes elements from Cesar Ramero's Joker, Jack Nicolson's Joker and Heath Ledgar and make its it his own. His laugh is perfect. Its scary and so phenomal.
Lets talk about the plot: Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks -- the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he's part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.
The way their protray Gotham City in the 80's is perfect. Gotham City, this time is New York City and I think thats perfect.
Joker is the first live-action theatrical Batman film to receive an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America, due to its violent and disturbing content. It is also the best DC film since The Dark Knight Rises.
Joker is a memorizing movie, it is psychological, it is twisted, dark and gloomy.
Joker is a highly reccordmend movie, if you havent seen it yet, than i highly reccordmend you see it.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Mandy (2018) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
Red Miller (Nicholas Cage) is sent on a rampaging quest for vengeance when an evil cult abducts and kill his partner, Mandy Bloom.
The story is simple, Mandy and Red live alone in a forest. By chance Mandy is spotted by a cult leader who decided that he wants her to join him. Things don’t go to plan and Mandy ends up dead and Red starts on a quest for revenge. Simple and familiar, it’s not an uncommon plot, however Mandy is part film, part drug filled dream with snippets of animation thrown in, overlaid with a psychedelic, prog rock soundtrack. It has drugs, cults, demonic, slipknot esc bikers, (male) nudity, chainsaws and crossbows, religious parables and Jesus parallels. There is a metaphorical decent to hell and there is Nicholas Cage. All this is shot with constantly changing, coloured filters and distorted voices.
You can probably tell that Mandy isn’t for everyone, at times the film feels like an Italian horror, something like Suspiria or Deep Red and other time it seems like someone has brought a 70’s or 80’s rock/metal album cover to life. Throw in some animation that would be at home in ‘Heavy Metal’ Magazine, turn the crazy dial up to 11 and let Nicolas Cage (slowly) off the sanity leash and you have Mandy.
There are plot point that are not explained, for example Red suddenly has a friend who has a cross bow stored away for him and Red suddenly has a forge and knows how to use it. Is Mandy some kind of witch and, of course, is Red dead at the end.
I would say that there are some crazy scenes but the whole film is crazy but it does lead to some great scene’s like a chainsaw duel.
As I said, Mandy isn’t for everyone, it has a simple plot that has been turned in to a surreal nightmare so if you don’t like weird don’t watch this.
Mandy is also slow to get started as it builds up the atmosphere. I think that, if the film kept the atmosphere it starts with it could have been a similar tone to something like Midsommar however by the halfway point it has past that and, by the end the film just takes a head dive down the rabbit hole (almost literally).
Given all that I found it hard to rate, it has the feel of a 70’s horror and an 80’s grindhouse, some of the filters make it hard to understand some of the lines and the colour filters were disturbing and distracting although most of this was on purpose but over all I did enjoy it.
The story is simple, Mandy and Red live alone in a forest. By chance Mandy is spotted by a cult leader who decided that he wants her to join him. Things don’t go to plan and Mandy ends up dead and Red starts on a quest for revenge. Simple and familiar, it’s not an uncommon plot, however Mandy is part film, part drug filled dream with snippets of animation thrown in, overlaid with a psychedelic, prog rock soundtrack. It has drugs, cults, demonic, slipknot esc bikers, (male) nudity, chainsaws and crossbows, religious parables and Jesus parallels. There is a metaphorical decent to hell and there is Nicholas Cage. All this is shot with constantly changing, coloured filters and distorted voices.
You can probably tell that Mandy isn’t for everyone, at times the film feels like an Italian horror, something like Suspiria or Deep Red and other time it seems like someone has brought a 70’s or 80’s rock/metal album cover to life. Throw in some animation that would be at home in ‘Heavy Metal’ Magazine, turn the crazy dial up to 11 and let Nicolas Cage (slowly) off the sanity leash and you have Mandy.
There are plot point that are not explained, for example Red suddenly has a friend who has a cross bow stored away for him and Red suddenly has a forge and knows how to use it. Is Mandy some kind of witch and, of course, is Red dead at the end.
I would say that there are some crazy scenes but the whole film is crazy but it does lead to some great scene’s like a chainsaw duel.
As I said, Mandy isn’t for everyone, it has a simple plot that has been turned in to a surreal nightmare so if you don’t like weird don’t watch this.
Mandy is also slow to get started as it builds up the atmosphere. I think that, if the film kept the atmosphere it starts with it could have been a similar tone to something like Midsommar however by the halfway point it has past that and, by the end the film just takes a head dive down the rabbit hole (almost literally).
Given all that I found it hard to rate, it has the feel of a 70’s horror and an 80’s grindhouse, some of the filters make it hard to understand some of the lines and the colour filters were disturbing and distracting although most of this was on purpose but over all I did enjoy it.
The Marinated Meeple (1848 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Mar 23, 2018
Writing (2 more)
Character development
80's references
This is one of the most fun reads I've ever had.
I kinda love this book, and the Audio Book is read by Wil Wheaton which is kinda perfect. I even love the dystopian future aspect, where everyone spends all the time online, plugged in to the Oasis. And here within it in a big mystery, with shades of willy wonka. Here is this everyday geek, who through hard work, determination and cunning deciphering of the codes and clues makes a run at the greatest prize of his time. Once agai on fo the most fun books I've ever read, and I really hope the movie coming out soon lives up to the feel, I already know it won't have everything as no movie is ever a complete version, but I feel that steven spielberg at least has the chops to take it on and do it justice. I hope I'm not wrong.
