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Awix (3310 KP) rated Beginning of the End (1957) in Movies

Apr 7, 2021

Beginning of the End (1957)

1957 | Horror, Sci-Fi

5.0

(1 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Minor entry in the 50s atomic bug cycle hits nearly all the same beats as Them!, only on a much lower budget. Scientists playing with atoms accidentally make grasshoppers grow to giant size; they naturally start trying to eat Chicago. Peter Graves captures a grasshopper and hooks it up to a lie detector in the hope of finding a solution. (This really is the plot.)

Sort-of has a reputation as one of the worst films ever made, but it's decently structured despite a few corny sections and has a go at providing all the things you want from a sci-fi B-movie about monster insects. The stink around the film come from the special effects, which are frequently dreadful, but on the other hand the script is wildly overambitious and the effects guys are clearly doing the best they can in a hopeless situation. It's still a rip-off largely facilitated by a combination of stock footage and inept back-projection, but by no means unwatchable. Them! is still vastly better in every respect, though.

Kudos

Darren Fisher (2465 KP) rated The Boogey Man (1980) in Movies

Dec 12, 2020 (Updated Dec 13, 2020)

The Boogey Man (1980)

1980 | Horror

5.0

(1 Ratings)

Movie Rating

"It begins with a horrifying killing and then starts to get bloody!"

The Boogeyman is an uneven state of affairs.
The first and third parts are enjoyable enough. The beginning sets up a promising menacing vibe which gets totally destroyed in the tedious middle section. Bad pacing means that it never regains the creepy mood it sets out to achieve. The third part goes all out crazy in an attempt to regain some kudos but it's all a little too late.
On the plus side, the kills are pretty good and mostly inventive, and the hokey special effects are certainly fun to watch. But the best thing about the film is Tim Krogs incredibly moody synth score. Using various analogue synthesizers, digital delay and reversed-tape effects, Krogs score is an eerie masterpiece that will stay with you longer than the film will.

The Boogeyman was placed on the UK's DPP list in 1984, but was later re-released on the Vipco label in 1992 in a cut form. In 2000 it was released uncut.

Kudos

LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Predator 2 (1990) in Movies

Sep 29, 2019 (Updated Sep 29, 2019)

Predator 2 (1990)

1990 | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

6.7

(34 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

One of the most aggressively 'ok' films ever

Predator 2 isn't awful. It's gets a bad wrap, and I think that stems from just how good the first film is.

Let's look at the positives - Director Stephen Hopkins tried something new with a simple change of scenery, from a thick jungle to a dystopian Los Angeles. I have nothing but respect for not straight up ripping off the first movie, unlike Predators...
Another positive - I find it almost impossible to dislike Danny Glover. His character is nowhere near as iconic as as Arnie's Dutch, but he's still pretty likable.
The titular Predator looks pretty badass as always, and the use of practical effects throughout are pretty good.

The digital effects dotted about here and there have aged terribly, and the general plot is largely forgettable for the most part. Quite simply, it's an inferior movie to it's predecessor, but it's an entertaining enough slice of 90s Sci-fi and still worth a watch, even if it's just to hear Danny Glover call the Predator a 'pussy face'.