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Womaneater (1957)
3.0
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Movie
British B-movie horror melodrama. A scientist who may not be entirely psychologically sound goes off...
botanical horror
It Came!
Book
1958. Driving through the British countryside, unthinkingly misogynistic space scientist, Dr. Boy...
Joe Dante recommended Touch of Evil (1958) in Movies (curated)
Stardust Trail
9.0
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Book
Against his better judgment, Hollywood-hating private investigator Nate Ross takes on a Tinseltown...
Awix (3310 KP) rated Gamera: Advent of Legion (1996) in Movies
Mar 15, 2019 (Updated Mar 15, 2019)
Startlingly sophisticated mash-up of the giant monster and alien invasion B-movie genres; second in Shusuke Kaneko's trilogy of Gamera movies. A meteorite brings the gestalt organism Legion to Earth, specifically Japan (of course). Scientists and the army embark on a desperate race to figure out how to stop the various manifestations of the creature, but may have to rely on their unlikely ally: the giant nuclear turtle Gamera.
The bare bones of the plot make it sound fairly absurd, but the combination of a clever, cine-literate script that knows exactly when to play it loose and when to get to the point, and superbly accomplished special effects mean this is one of the highlights of the Japanese monster movie tradition; arguably very influential within the genre, not least for the way it plays with all the classic tropes and manages to rationalise many of them. The design of the antagonist monster could have been a bit less weird, but you can't have everything I suppose. Exceeded in its crazed grandiosity only by the third part of the trilogy, but still outscores that in the script department.
The bare bones of the plot make it sound fairly absurd, but the combination of a clever, cine-literate script that knows exactly when to play it loose and when to get to the point, and superbly accomplished special effects mean this is one of the highlights of the Japanese monster movie tradition; arguably very influential within the genre, not least for the way it plays with all the classic tropes and manages to rationalise many of them. The design of the antagonist monster could have been a bit less weird, but you can't have everything I suppose. Exceeded in its crazed grandiosity only by the third part of the trilogy, but still outscores that in the script department.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Greatest Showman (2017) in Movies
Feb 7, 2018 (Updated Feb 7, 2018)
Cheese with a side order of sugar
I suppose Hugh Jackman has to do something now he's retired from being Wolverine, and as his skill-set basically consists of eviscerating people with his implanted claws and being able to sing and dance a bit, it's not surprising that his first big post-rodent movie is a musical.
Despite being (theoretically) a historical bio-pic, The Greatest Showman is very much of our time in that it has a powerful message about diversity and inclusivity. That there is anything odd about a film about diversity and inclusivity a) being fronted by two straight white dudes and b) concerning a conman who made a huge fortune by running a freak show, does not appear to have occurred to the film-makers.
The plot is ridiculous sugary cheese, but what keep the film (I'm tempted to say annoyingly) watchable are the songs and choreography, which are really, really good and deserve to be in a much better-written movie. Pretty much the definition of an undemanding guilty pleasure, although I have to note that this is one of those movies that everyone seems to hate apart from the mass audience.
Despite being (theoretically) a historical bio-pic, The Greatest Showman is very much of our time in that it has a powerful message about diversity and inclusivity. That there is anything odd about a film about diversity and inclusivity a) being fronted by two straight white dudes and b) concerning a conman who made a huge fortune by running a freak show, does not appear to have occurred to the film-makers.
The plot is ridiculous sugary cheese, but what keep the film (I'm tempted to say annoyingly) watchable are the songs and choreography, which are really, really good and deserve to be in a much better-written movie. Pretty much the definition of an undemanding guilty pleasure, although I have to note that this is one of those movies that everyone seems to hate apart from the mass audience.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Godzilla (1998) in Movies
Mar 24, 2018
Much-reviled and frequently-mocked (especially in subsequent Toho films) American Godzilla is actually not bad as a mega-budget reinvention of the classic American monster B-movie (which the original Japanese Godzilla was inspired by), it's just very disappointing as an actual Godzilla movie. The French irradiate the Pacific, causing humble iguana to grow to ginormous proportions, experience curious gender issues, and then devastate Manhattan.
Some good effects sequences, particularly the two big battles between 'Godzilla' and the US armed forces, and the leads work hard to be likeable, but on the whole the film seems much more interested in American pop culture (there's a pastiche of Jurassic Park, jokes about Elvis, some really unsubtle digs at film critics who didn't like Independence Day) than in the Japanese pop icon it's supposed to be about - the monster is lacking in grandeur and majesty, doesn't have Godzilla's special abilities, and is basically just a big lizard you can kill with conventional weapons. (No wonder the beast is just called 'Zilla' in its subsequent appearances.) Not awful on its own terms, but then it was never going to be judged on those.
Some good effects sequences, particularly the two big battles between 'Godzilla' and the US armed forces, and the leads work hard to be likeable, but on the whole the film seems much more interested in American pop culture (there's a pastiche of Jurassic Park, jokes about Elvis, some really unsubtle digs at film critics who didn't like Independence Day) than in the Japanese pop icon it's supposed to be about - the monster is lacking in grandeur and majesty, doesn't have Godzilla's special abilities, and is basically just a big lizard you can kill with conventional weapons. (No wonder the beast is just called 'Zilla' in its subsequent appearances.) Not awful on its own terms, but then it was never going to be judged on those.
KyleQ (267 KP) rated Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) in Movies
Jul 18, 2020
Please stop underrating this!
Tom Atkins stars as Daniel Challis, he's investigating a murder along with the victims' daughter, Ellie Grimbridge (Stacey Nelkin), their investigation leads them to Silver Shamrock, a Halloween goods manufactoring company with a dark secret.
I'm sure this was a strange movie to watch when it came out what with it being titled Halloween III, yet it had no connection to the first two. But nowadays, this should be considered a fun Halloween-time classic.
Director Tommy Lee Wallace learned from watching John Carpenter. In turn Halloween III benefits from a good score, if the main song isn't stuck in your head by the end, it'll be a miracle.
The tone is overall good, it is a bit cheesy but it maintains it, it comes across more as a fun B-movie.
Visually the film packs lots of Halloween-time images. It might not fit the franchise, but it nails the setting.
You definitely can't take it very seriously.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch is like going through a haunted funhouse. Expect genuine scares and you'll be sorely disappointed. Expect to just have fun, and you'll get plenty of it. I recommend it.
I'm sure this was a strange movie to watch when it came out what with it being titled Halloween III, yet it had no connection to the first two. But nowadays, this should be considered a fun Halloween-time classic.
Director Tommy Lee Wallace learned from watching John Carpenter. In turn Halloween III benefits from a good score, if the main song isn't stuck in your head by the end, it'll be a miracle.
The tone is overall good, it is a bit cheesy but it maintains it, it comes across more as a fun B-movie.
Visually the film packs lots of Halloween-time images. It might not fit the franchise, but it nails the setting.
You definitely can't take it very seriously.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch is like going through a haunted funhouse. Expect genuine scares and you'll be sorely disappointed. Expect to just have fun, and you'll get plenty of it. I recommend it.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Upgrade (2018) in Movies
Feb 25, 2021
Probably the most interesting of the three here by some way, Upgrade comes at the angle of cybernetic amendments to human capability in an almost, but not quite, original way. It postures and ponders a lot of pseudo-science and cod philosophy before getting to the bits people are going mad for: the fight scenes, which are indeed jaw dropping, feel new and are brutally graphic enough to amuse even the most hardcore gamer. Trouble is… this makes it almost a torture-porn movie, because the only real thrills are in the grossness of the violence. The acting is of negligible importance, because character and plot are not that important to the success of Upgrade as a spectacle. It feels cheap and B movie grade in places, which of course it is. If you enjoy seeing impressive things done with less than a premium budget then this could be worth watching. But… there is a nastiness and a somewhat teenage / pothead vibe to it that ruins anything remotely good. It is also shamelessly derivative. Not bad then, but by no means good, or properly recommended.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Upgrade (2018) in Movies
Oct 2, 2018 (Updated Oct 3, 2018)
World Building (2 more)
VFX
Logan Marshall-Green
A Fresh, Fun Dose of Sci-Fi Fun
For years, I have been wanting to see what Leigh Whannell could do outside of the Horror genre. He wrote the first 3 Saw movies, (AKA the good ones,) and the Insidious trilogy, so he has proved himself as a titan in that genre, but I have been wanting to see him expand to another style, in a similar way that we have seen James Wan do.
Well this is it.
Upgrade is a Sci-Fi movie that doesn't follow the most unique concept in the genre, but does it in such a fresh and fun way that it works incredibly well. Upgrade also does a really good job at making you feel some genuine emotions of sadness and pity, something that I really didn't expect to get from a movie like this. When it comes to the action and violence in the movie, Upgrade embraces it's B-movie inspiration and gives us some awesome grisly practical effects along with some cool action choreography to go with it.
There are some elements to the plot that may seem bizarre to those not familiar with the more campy side of this genre and the movie does slightly feel like a video game at times. However, I don't feel that this is to the movie's detriment and instead, actually adds to the fun ride that the film is taking you on.
I also like the way the movie ended, although I saw the reveal of who the big bad was going to be coming a mile away, what happened afterward was really surprising and pretty bold and risky. I don't want to spoil anything here if I can help it, but let's just say I thought that they were going one way, which would have been a really poor, cliché ending for a movie like this and then they went in totally the opposite direction, subverting expectations and instead, choosing to end the film on a genuinely unexpected note. Whether you like the ending or not, I think that the guts it took to pull it off, deserves some praise.
Overall, Upgrade is a really fun watch. It has it's high octane action sequences as advertised in the trailer and it also has some surprisingly tender, heartfelt moments to go along with all of the stunts and gore. Definitely worth a watch if you are a sci-fi fan looking for a thrilling, bloody good time.
Well this is it.
Upgrade is a Sci-Fi movie that doesn't follow the most unique concept in the genre, but does it in such a fresh and fun way that it works incredibly well. Upgrade also does a really good job at making you feel some genuine emotions of sadness and pity, something that I really didn't expect to get from a movie like this. When it comes to the action and violence in the movie, Upgrade embraces it's B-movie inspiration and gives us some awesome grisly practical effects along with some cool action choreography to go with it.
There are some elements to the plot that may seem bizarre to those not familiar with the more campy side of this genre and the movie does slightly feel like a video game at times. However, I don't feel that this is to the movie's detriment and instead, actually adds to the fun ride that the film is taking you on.
I also like the way the movie ended, although I saw the reveal of who the big bad was going to be coming a mile away, what happened afterward was really surprising and pretty bold and risky. I don't want to spoil anything here if I can help it, but let's just say I thought that they were going one way, which would have been a really poor, cliché ending for a movie like this and then they went in totally the opposite direction, subverting expectations and instead, choosing to end the film on a genuinely unexpected note. Whether you like the ending or not, I think that the guts it took to pull it off, deserves some praise.
Overall, Upgrade is a really fun watch. It has it's high octane action sequences as advertised in the trailer and it also has some surprisingly tender, heartfelt moments to go along with all of the stunts and gore. Definitely worth a watch if you are a sci-fi fan looking for a thrilling, bloody good time.