Only four more days until Patrick reveals the final JUNESPLOITATION! 2026 CALENDAR! 🥳💥💫 It's probably finalized, but just in case it isn't here's the last possible chance to try to influence the influencer into programming what you want to see next month. Let him (and us) know. 😎🤓
Been sick like a dog since Monday.🤢🤮 Finally on the mend after missing most of the week from work, but started/ended strong.💪😷
Except for "M3GAN 2.0" (severely underrated) and "Heart Eyes," Blumhouse has been on an underwhelming streak for years. Enter YouTuber Curry Barker and OBSESSION (2026, DOLBY CINEMA), which has the shortest post-credit scroll l've seen in a mainstream movie by relying almost entirely on lo-fi tech, practical effects, atmosphere (1:50:1 AR) and strong acting by a cast of unknowns (except for a criminally underused Andy Richter). It's selling a supernatural horror tale, but the heart of its story is JB's classic wisdom nugget about the best horror movies being about lonely people who needed one genuine person to listen/talk to them, and they would have turned out alright.😢😓 Might just become Blumhouse's best 'it' horror IP in years.😃👍
When l saw the billboard for BILLIE EILISH - HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR 3D ('26, THEATER) l assumed the singer had recruited a star rapper to appear alongside her on stage. Imagine my surprise that Billie E. WAS the baggy-clothed rapper on the billboard, and that she wears similar clothing at all her concerts.😳🫣 That's how little l know about her or her music, but apparently James Cameron's a big-enough fan he took time off in '25 from his "Avatar" hi-tech cave to guest-star (talking with Eilish on-camera between songs... a lot) and co-direct a 3D concert film during Billie's recent tour. A combo of footage shot in Manchester (England) and Phoenix (USA), per credits, "it's okay" and has some killer 3D footage, but checklists every concert movie cliché (screaming/crying/singing fans, dedicated backstage crew, therapy puppies, etc.🐶). Personal highlight: "Bad Guy," the only Eilish song l know, and her handheld camera work did the song's energy justice.😁
MORTAL KOMBAT II ('26, IMAX) will drop from 2nd to 4th at the U.S. box office this weekend, per Deadline.com, due to stronger-than-expected competition from "Michael" (returning to B.O. dominance!😲) and "Devil Wears Prada 2"... competition that wouldn't have been there in October last year when it was originally scheduled. Forget "MKII" should have come out in 2024 at the absolute latest. The Motaro in the room nobody's talking about is that the drop-off in quality from this to 2021's "MK" is comparable to the gap between 1995 "MK" and 1997's "Annihilation." My God, "MK II" (the movie) is way too stupid, cheesy and ridiculous. Unlike the 90's, though, we now have the willingness to go 'R' and technology to re-package this crap with quality sound/visuals to go with the violence/gore. I really wanted to like Karl Urban's winking, borderline ironic performance as Johnny Cage (especially Urban leaning on his special move not manifesting until the last possible moment), but when he eventually teams with a resurrected Kano (Josh Lawson), the jokes-per-minute ratio became overwhelming and suffocating.🥵 How is P.T. Anderson's "MK" still the best entry in this decades-long movie series?🤔
Guy Ritchie's IN THE GREY ('26, THEATER) reunites him with his newest choice muse, Henry Cavill, in yet another military action thriller financed by petrodollars (Saudi Arabia) and shot internationally (Spain) to keep the explosions, car chases and shootouts on par with Ritchie's previous work. With sidekick Jake Gyllenhall (whose chemistry with Cavill is off-the-charts), Henry and a small team of mercenaries protect a high-stakes NY corporate lawyer (Eiza Gonzalez) trying to squeeze the finances of a feared crime boss (Carlos Bardem, Javier's brother) and his inefficient 2nd in command (Fisher Sevens) while negotiating on the criminal's island nation he controls. Everybody's technically unlikable (Rosamund Pike never leaves her NYC skyscraper office), but Cavill and Gyllenhall are so good together you don't mind.😀
Never seen SPECIES (1995, PRIME) before. I now have, and don't want to ever see it again. The end. [You know a movie's bad when nude Natasha Henstridge can't save it]😉
You should still see the first one (at least start watching it) and make up your own mind whether to keep watching. Saw it as a group watch on Discord and the interactions with like-minded folks (like Mac) were fun... "Species" itself was not. 🫤
The 20-year-old Henstridge was quite pretty in Species, but there are far better Alien knockoffs around, including at least two directed by Ridley Scott, as well as the rather good made-for-TV period nautical horror flick She Creature, starring Rufus Sewell and Carla Gugino, and currently streaming on Roku. :)
Innerspace (1987): I've always been aware of Joe Dante's movies, loving them, enjoying them, but I think only in the last year I realized it was the same guy who did The Burbs, Gremlins and Small Soldiers. Innerspace is the latest of his movies released on 4k (received almost 2 weeks late because my order was apparently lost in the warehouse) and is one that I always liked. I guess there was something in the water at the end of the 80s, that's at least 2 movies where people shrink. In the extras, I like that the new making-of made for this release features the directors. Often, they only feature makeup or vfx guys, but rarely the director (often it's because he's dead, I know).
30 Days of Night (2007): I saw this movie way more often than I care to admit. I do like it though. Too bad the sequel was a low-budget b-movie crapfest. The comic and its sequels were way better.
Uzumaki (2000): Some of these I really should wait for next month. Is there a J-Horror category in Junesploitation? If feel there should be one. Anyway, the movie's good, even if it's unfinished. The new Umbrella blu-ray is a bit better looking than the previous one and has a ton of extras, including a new interview with Junji Ito, the creator of the original manga.
Rin Tin Tin - Clash of the Wolves & Where the North Begins (1925 & 1923): First of all, gorgeous Kino blu-ray. Second, I think it's my first Rin Tin Tin movie. I saw some of the tv show from the 50s, but never the original movies. Wolves was recommended to me by a friend, and the disc came with a bonus movie. I sure hope none of these animals were mistreated during the shoot. I'm always impressed when they do special effects in these old movies, the opening is pretty spectacular.
Black Sabbath (1963): I had no idea this was an anthology. All I knew about this was its reputation. I was lucky to get the Kino blu-ray from my awesome used dvd store. Anthologies are cool, Italians are weird, and Borir Karloff is a freak.
The Beyond (1981): Might as well stay with the crazy Italians. Another blind but from the used dvd store. I love a good, screaming, gory, horror flick. The movie's disgusting, do not eat while watching.
The Taming of the Shrew (1967): I'm making a dent in my blind buys from the used dvd store. I'm a fan of movies adapted from Shakespeare plays, but they're always the same 4 plays: Romeo, Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet. When the guy presented me this, and I saw the director, I jumped on it. I would also like to see more Liz Taylor movies.
I'm saving my "Innerspace" 4K Arrow (big upgrade over the old Warner snapper DVD 😁) for a time l can enjoy both the new transfer and the bounty of bonus features.
Some directors (the ones still living or not too old to talk cohesively for two straight hours) just don't feel like talking about their work on commentaries/interviews more than they're contractually obligated to do. Other directors can't shut up and hog the spotlight. Most film boutique labels do the best they can with the titles, rights, studios, masters and people they have to deal with. Lucky for "Innerspace" Joe Dante is one of those directors that are still approachable, talkative and engaging. 😎
I can't get into podcasts by filmmakers talking about movies. Too much self-congratulatory and inside baseball-y. That said, l like Joe Dante too much to not seriously consider giving his pidcast a try... when l'm ready. 🤓
Oh, his podcast is not like that. He's super humble. You can feel the humbleness through the podcast when the guest say they like one of his movie. His co-host does most of the talking
Watched Greenland 2: Migration last night. I'll admit, when I saw trailers for the first Greenland, I really had no expectations. I ended up liking it and found it very entertaining. When I saw there was a sequel, my expectations were even lower. But I watched it anyway and again, found it entertaining, less so though. It lacked the existential doom of the first one and just followed the same formula of the first. If you liked the first one, I'd recommend checking out Migration, but don't expect too much.
Also, is anyone else really excited for Backrooms or is it just me?
"Backrooms" intrigues me more by its obtuse A24 marketing (they're going all out as their Memorial Day release), but l honestly don't know because l don't watch trailers/commercials until after l see the movie. 😬
I liked the original "Greenland, " but its "Migration" sequel left a bad taste in my mouth. It's nice that Gerard Butler's playing an older father and not a superhero, but the convenience of his family surviving all the conveniently-timed disasters and armed ambushes for the story to end where it ends up... it was like "2012," except MORE fantastical and unrealistic! 😳🥵😤
A young YouTuber (Curry Barker) just gave Focus Features a critical/financial hit with "Obsession" (which cost less than $1 million to make). Focus outbid A24 and Neon, who both wanted it, by paying $15 million for the rights (all this info from Deadline.com's Box Office Analysis). So whatever happens on Memorial Day Weekend, Parsons and Barker are going to be okay. They have arrived. 😎🧐
Only four more days until Patrick reveals the final JUNESPLOITATION! 2026 CALENDAR! 🥳💥💫 It's probably finalized, but just in case it isn't here's the last possible chance to try to influence the influencer into programming what you want to see next month. Let him (and us) know. 😎🤓
ReplyDeleteBeen sick like a dog since Monday.🤢🤮 Finally on the mend after missing most of the week from work, but started/ended strong.💪😷
ReplyDeleteExcept for "M3GAN 2.0" (severely underrated) and "Heart Eyes," Blumhouse has been on an underwhelming streak for years. Enter YouTuber Curry Barker and OBSESSION (2026, DOLBY CINEMA), which has the shortest post-credit scroll l've seen in a mainstream movie by relying almost entirely on lo-fi tech, practical effects, atmosphere (1:50:1 AR) and strong acting by a cast of unknowns (except for a criminally underused Andy Richter). It's selling a supernatural horror tale, but the heart of its story is JB's classic wisdom nugget about the best horror movies being about lonely people who needed one genuine person to listen/talk to them, and they would have turned out alright.😢😓 Might just become Blumhouse's best 'it' horror IP in years.😃👍
When l saw the billboard for BILLIE EILISH - HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR 3D ('26, THEATER) l assumed the singer had recruited a star rapper to appear alongside her on stage. Imagine my surprise that Billie E. WAS the baggy-clothed rapper on the billboard, and that she wears similar clothing at all her concerts.😳🫣 That's how little l know about her or her music, but apparently James Cameron's a big-enough fan he took time off in '25 from his "Avatar" hi-tech cave to guest-star (talking with Eilish on-camera between songs... a lot) and co-direct a 3D concert film during Billie's recent tour. A combo of footage shot in Manchester (England) and Phoenix (USA), per credits, "it's okay" and has some killer 3D footage, but checklists every concert movie cliché (screaming/crying/singing fans, dedicated backstage crew, therapy puppies, etc.🐶). Personal highlight: "Bad Guy," the only Eilish song l know, and her handheld camera work did the song's energy justice.😁
MORTAL KOMBAT II ('26, IMAX) will drop from 2nd to 4th at the U.S. box office this weekend, per Deadline.com, due to stronger-than-expected competition from "Michael" (returning to B.O. dominance!😲) and "Devil Wears Prada 2"... competition that wouldn't have been there in October last year when it was originally scheduled. Forget "MKII" should have come out in 2024 at the absolute latest. The Motaro in the room nobody's talking about is that the drop-off in quality from this to 2021's "MK" is comparable to the gap between 1995 "MK" and 1997's "Annihilation." My God, "MK II" (the movie) is way too stupid, cheesy and ridiculous. Unlike the 90's, though, we now have the willingness to go 'R' and technology to re-package this crap with quality sound/visuals to go with the violence/gore. I really wanted to like Karl Urban's winking, borderline ironic performance as Johnny Cage (especially Urban leaning on his special move not manifesting until the last possible moment), but when he eventually teams with a resurrected Kano (Josh Lawson), the jokes-per-minute ratio became overwhelming and suffocating.🥵 How is P.T. Anderson's "MK" still the best entry in this decades-long movie series?🤔
Guy Ritchie's IN THE GREY ('26, THEATER) reunites him with his newest choice muse, Henry Cavill, in yet another military action thriller financed by petrodollars (Saudi Arabia) and shot internationally (Spain) to keep the explosions, car chases and shootouts on par with Ritchie's previous work. With sidekick Jake Gyllenhall (whose chemistry with Cavill is off-the-charts), Henry and a small team of mercenaries protect a high-stakes NY corporate lawyer (Eiza Gonzalez) trying to squeeze the finances of a feared crime boss (Carlos Bardem, Javier's brother) and his inefficient 2nd in command (Fisher Sevens) while negotiating on the criminal's island nation he controls. Everybody's technically unlikable (Rosamund Pike never leaves her NYC skyscraper office), but Cavill and Gyllenhall are so good together you don't mind.😀
Never seen SPECIES (1995, PRIME) before. I now have, and don't want to ever see it again. The end. [You know a movie's bad when nude Natasha Henstridge can't save it]😉
I was on the fence about getting Species for a rewatch, you answered my question
DeleteYou should still see the first one (at least start watching it) and make up your own mind whether to keep watching. Saw it as a group watch on Discord and the interactions with like-minded folks (like Mac) were fun... "Species" itself was not. 🫤
DeleteThe 20-year-old Henstridge was quite pretty in Species, but there are far better Alien knockoffs around, including at least two directed by Ridley Scott, as well as the rather good made-for-TV period nautical horror flick She Creature, starring Rufus Sewell and Carla Gugino, and currently streaming on Roku. :)
DeleteInnerspace (1987): I've always been aware of Joe Dante's movies, loving them, enjoying them, but I think only in the last year I realized it was the same guy who did The Burbs, Gremlins and Small Soldiers. Innerspace is the latest of his movies released on 4k (received almost 2 weeks late because my order was apparently lost in the warehouse) and is one that I always liked. I guess there was something in the water at the end of the 80s, that's at least 2 movies where people shrink. In the extras, I like that the new making-of made for this release features the directors. Often, they only feature makeup or vfx guys, but rarely the director (often it's because he's dead, I know).
ReplyDelete30 Days of Night (2007): I saw this movie way more often than I care to admit. I do like it though. Too bad the sequel was a low-budget b-movie crapfest. The comic and its sequels were way better.
Uzumaki (2000): Some of these I really should wait for next month. Is there a J-Horror category in Junesploitation? If feel there should be one. Anyway, the movie's good, even if it's unfinished. The new Umbrella blu-ray is a bit better looking than the previous one and has a ton of extras, including a new interview with Junji Ito, the creator of the original manga.
Rin Tin Tin - Clash of the Wolves & Where the North Begins (1925 & 1923): First of all, gorgeous Kino blu-ray. Second, I think it's my first Rin Tin Tin movie. I saw some of the tv show from the 50s, but never the original movies. Wolves was recommended to me by a friend, and the disc came with a bonus movie. I sure hope none of these animals were mistreated during the shoot. I'm always impressed when they do special effects in these old movies, the opening is pretty spectacular.
Black Sabbath (1963): I had no idea this was an anthology. All I knew about this was its reputation. I was lucky to get the Kino blu-ray from my awesome used dvd store. Anthologies are cool, Italians are weird, and Borir Karloff is a freak.
The Beyond (1981): Might as well stay with the crazy Italians. Another blind but from the used dvd store. I love a good, screaming, gory, horror flick. The movie's disgusting, do not eat while watching.
The Taming of the Shrew (1967): I'm making a dent in my blind buys from the used dvd store. I'm a fan of movies adapted from Shakespeare plays, but they're always the same 4 plays: Romeo, Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet. When the guy presented me this, and I saw the director, I jumped on it. I would also like to see more Liz Taylor movies.
I'm saving my "Innerspace" 4K Arrow (big upgrade over the old Warner snapper DVD 😁) for a time l can enjoy both the new transfer and the bounty of bonus features.
DeleteSome directors (the ones still living or not too old to talk cohesively for two straight hours) just don't feel like talking about their work on commentaries/interviews more than they're contractually obligated to do. Other directors can't shut up and hog the spotlight. Most film boutique labels do the best they can with the titles, rights, studios, masters and people they have to deal with. Lucky for "Innerspace" Joe Dante is one of those directors that are still approachable, talkative and engaging. 😎
Joe Dante has a podcast too, The Movies That Made Me. His latest guest is a guy from Arrow UK. Your buy/watch list will grow exponentially.
DeleteThen l won't listen to Dante's podcast. Watch/buy list stays put. 🤓
DeleteThe podcast is fun. They don't dwell on one movie. They just list movies, usually following a theme.
DeleteI can't get into podcasts by filmmakers talking about movies. Too much self-congratulatory and inside baseball-y. That said, l like Joe Dante too much to not seriously consider giving his pidcast a try... when l'm ready. 🤓
DeleteOh, his podcast is not like that. He's super humble. You can feel the humbleness through the podcast when the guest say they like one of his movie. His co-host does most of the talking
DeleteWatched Greenland 2: Migration last night. I'll admit, when I saw trailers for the first Greenland, I really had no expectations. I ended up liking it and found it very entertaining. When I saw there was a sequel, my expectations were even lower. But I watched it anyway and again, found it entertaining, less so though. It lacked the existential doom of the first one and just followed the same formula of the first. If you liked the first one, I'd recommend checking out Migration, but don't expect too much.
ReplyDeleteAlso, is anyone else really excited for Backrooms or is it just me?
"Backrooms" intrigues me more by its obtuse A24 marketing (they're going all out as their Memorial Day release), but l honestly don't know because l don't watch trailers/commercials until after l see the movie. 😬
DeleteI liked the original "Greenland, " but its "Migration" sequel left a bad taste in my mouth. It's nice that Gerard Butler's playing an older father and not a superhero, but the convenience of his family surviving all the conveniently-timed disasters and armed ambushes for the story to end where it ends up... it was like "2012," except MORE fantastical and unrealistic! 😳🥵😤
What's crazy is that A24 is banking on a 20 year old YouTuber in Kane Parsons haha. I hope for his sake that it's a success!
DeleteA young YouTuber (Curry Barker) just gave Focus Features a critical/financial hit with "Obsession" (which cost less than $1 million to make). Focus outbid A24 and Neon, who both wanted it, by paying $15 million for the rights (all this info from Deadline.com's Box Office Analysis). So whatever happens on Memorial Day Weekend, Parsons and Barker are going to be okay. They have arrived. 😎🧐
Delete