R.I.P. Louise Lasser.๐ฅบ๐ข๐ญ News of her recent passing convinced me to keep the exploitation train running a little bit longer. Here's more JUNESPLOITATION!-IN-JULY reviews!๐๐ค
BLOOD RAGE (1987, ARROW BLU-RAY; streaming on MOMETU). Still one of the most expensive movies I've ever bought ($60+ a decade ago for a 3-disc used copy), but so worth it. This Thanksgiving-themed slasher earned the F This Movie community's love the year it was discovered. Mark Soper's excellent dual performance as twins Terry/Todd should have been the standout hook alongside the unrated gore and killer catchphrase ('It ain't cranberry sauce!'), but Louise Lasser wouldn't allow it. Her one-woman show as a grieving mother having a night-long nervous breakdown, followed by a killer final scene alongside Soper by a blood-soaked indoor pool, achieved FTM immortality. Watching it again last night, "Blood Rage" still holds together as a low-budget, bordering-on-amateur-acting (hi, Ted Raimi) 80's production carried to the finish line by the strength of its two lead performers and the gore guys doing whatever they wanted. 4.20 HEADS WRAPPED AROUND DANGLING CHRISTMAS LIGHTS (out of five).
DEADLIEST PREY (2013, TUBI; also streaming on FAWESOME). 27 years after doing the "Rambo" thing (as seen on my "Deadly Prey" review last week), writer/director/producer David A. Prior returns for a sequel. Whether intentional or not (haven't seen enough new Prior movies to know if the man's skill level improved), "Deadliest Prey" remakes the '87 prequel almost shot-by-shot, with the same disregard for off-camera characters, three-note music sting (now enhanced with reverb) and amateur-hour acting by returning cast members (Ted Prior, David Campbell, Fritz Matthews, etc.) and newcomers alike (Tara Kleinpeter, the three young nerds, etc.). This is an irony-free follow-up that repeats the same story/action beats of its predecessor with a couple of WTF! twists near the end. A fun time if you're tuned into the Prior brothers' wacky wavelength. 3.65 TOSSED ASIDE DENIM SHORTS (out of five).
NINE DEATHS OF THE NINJA (1985, FAWESOME; also streaming on PLEX). My heart sank like a stone on water when I read this was a Crown International Pictures production (their logo's been removed from the streaming versions). The first action movie Shรด Kosugi headlined after leaving Cannon Pictures feels closer in spirit and execution to a Filipino "Megaforce"-type bad comedy, complete with James Bond-inspired opening credit montage and prominent-but-shoehorned-in roles for Shรด's two boys (Shane and Kane Kosugi) to strut their dad's training. When American schoolchildren are kidnapped during a trip to the Philippines by Dr. Strangelove-like terrorist leader Alby The Cruel and his henchwoman Honey Hump (Blackie Dammett and Regina Richardson, respectively, in embarrassingly bad performances made worse by the English dub), the D.A.R.T. code's activated and Spike Shinobi (Kosugi) leads a rescue team of three that takes its sweet time training, finding clues, talking nonsense among themselves and, in the end, storming the island jungle to rescue the hostages. Shรด Kosugi would go on to much better action work the same year ("Pray for Death"), leaving this unfunny corpse of a flick as a reminder that dying is easy, but good comedy is hard-as-hell to pull off. 2.35 KITTENS NEXT TO SLICED-BY-KATANA WATERMELONS (out of five).
Last and certainly least, SNIPER: SPECIAL OPS (2016, ROKU CHANNEL; also streaming on PLUTO-TV). I've stayed away from recent Steven Seagal movies for the same reason many people avoid daily news coverage of you-know-who. Except to ridicule/make fun of how overweight, stationary and stunt-dependent for basic movements he's become (going up/down the stairs), why bother watching a post-early aughts' Seagal flick? This one's tolerable because director Fred Olen Ray (!) shows restraint and keeps everything grounded/serious. Flat, utterly joyless. 2.0 SNIPER MOUNTS HIDING STEVEN'S HUGE GUT (out of five).
Nah, too much like "Christmas 2." ๐ค๐ Junesploitation!-in-July has a ring to it... plus it ends today. Next week we go back to fawning for Junesploitation! 2027. ✊️๐
And now back to our regularly-scheduled, non-exploitation reviews.๐
Caught YOUNG WASHINGTON (2026, THEATER) on the last day of last week's heatwave seeking AC theater relief, but wound up watching the best Angel Studios movie since 2023's "Sound of Freedom." The focus on a specific period of early American history that most people don't know (when young G.W. wanted to be part of the British Army and defend the Crown's right to American lands) is interesting and engaging. George (William Franklyn-Miller) shows virtue and leadership but also fails miserably. Men he liked and trusted (Leo Hanna) die under his misguided orders, which eventually makes him stronger. It feels like part 1 of a series (the sequel's already in the works) in the best kind of way, even if the Native-American scenes reek of "Dances With Wolves"-like mysticism. Mary-Louise Parker and Kelsey Grammer shine in small but pivotal roles.
WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (2001, AMAZON RENTAL). Seen with the Jury Room 4.0 crowd during a spirited watchalong made me like this viewing more than the previous 2-3, though not enough to say I like the movie. Christopher Melloni steals every scene he's in, but besides him the number of bad/unfunny scenes (anything with Michael Showalter or Molly Shannon) is evenly matched with great/funny ones (the day spent doing drugs and ending up at a flophouse, the little kid driving the boat in the background, the loud jeers after the best musical theater performance ever, etc.) that leave me not wanting to gamble on another viewing by myself. An acquired taste not to my liking.
COUTURE (FRANCE/UNITED STATES, '26, THEATER). A well-meaning but ultimately meandering look at the lives of half-a-dozen women working on a Paris fashion show, this Alice Winocour is only worth seeing for behind-the-scenes access to parts of the industry seldom shown in movies. From a seamstress burning the midnight oil for her opening show dress (Garance Marillier) and the rookie African model that'll wear it (Anyier Anei's Ada) to the horror filmmaker (Angelina Jolie) directing an opening show mini-movie that takes a backseat to a sudden health scare, "Couture" 'is fine' but unmemorable. ๐๐
BOTTOMS (2023, AMAZON PRIME). First rewatch of this coming-of-age comedy about the female 'bottoms' of the social pecking order at a football-obsessed high school that start a self-defense 'Fight Club' to try and steal some of the thunder from the boys. Feeling both timely and timeless (clothes/fashions/music from different eras/decades, no cellphones besides a singular flip phone, etc.) while being made by a female crew with a mostly female cast (the opposite of "Porky's"), "Bottoms" has something to say about the lengths young people will go to fit in. Rachel Sennott, Havana Rose Liu and NFL great Marshawn Lynch (!) give the best performances, though the entire cast deserves a standing O. for the great group comedic timing during the epic final fight on the football field.๐๐คฃ
ALPHA (INDIA, '26, THEATER). Two Indian military men (Anil Kapoor's V. Kaul and Bobby Deol's Fateh) create a team of serum-powered super soldiers to prevent human losses to eternal wars with terrorists... until things go very wrong. Half sci-fi action, half cool-looking chicks (Alia Bhatt and Sharvari) kicking ass for mother India, "Alpha" keeps topping itself with soap opera-like plot twists reveals that culminate with the worst betrayal of all.๐ฒ๐ฅฑ Action fans will love the fireworks.
ENEMY MINE (1985, AMAZON RENTAL). First rewatch in decades after a late 80's VHS rental. A Wolfgang Petersen joint, this interplanetary war of wills between stranded pilots Davidge (Dennis Quaid) and Drac (Louis Gosset Jr. in heavy make-up) living in a meteor-showered space rock full of dangerous critters is kept interesting by both actors giving it their all. The last 30 minutes go "Star Wars"-level action crazy, a sharp contrast with the previous 90 mins. "Castaway"-like, low-key survival drama. Would make a great double-bill with "The Last Starfighter."๐ค
Loved that all the football players wear their uniforms at school at all times, and the 'David Fincher Club' sign on the back after the group first dissolves. So many little details (like Josie's Atari shirt at the pep rally catchable on rewatch that l missed the 1st time. ๐ค๐ฅธ
not having even been aware of Young Washington until seeing it was 3rd over the holiday weekend, reading the RT reviews has been mildly frustrating in terms of the state of film criticism these days. one critic decried that it didn't spend any time on Washington's many speeches in front of the continental congress....a valid critique maybe if the movie wasn't titled YOUNG WASHINGTON. wonder if they were fans if 1988's Young Einstein.
๐ For what it's worth the movie ends with text detailing the leader Washington became in his latter years... but "YW" takes place mostly in the 1750's. I was gonna take notice the movie didn't show George cutting down a tree with a hatchet and then not lying about it (early flashbacks to his kid youth at the star), but it really isn't that kind of historical movie. ๐ง๐คฅ
Enemy Mine is maybe the ONLY Wolfgang Petersen movies I haven't seen, and he's one of my favourites. I have the DVD, so maybe I'll move it to the top of the pile. I was really underwhelmed by Bottoms, but I don't exactly remember why. Everyone else loves it though, so I should give it another chance. Maybe I just wasn't in a good mood.
"Enemy Mine" is worth a look. Whether it's worth revisiting after that first-time watch, it's up to your tolerance for 80's sci-fi severe tone whiplash. ๐๐
Dumb and Dumber (1994): For a couple of years, I've been seeing bits of interviews with Jeff Daniels about this and other movies. Hearing him talking about the nuances of the roles, particularly in this, is shining a new light on the whole thing. I always liked the movie, but never gave it a second thought, before hearing Daniels explaining some things. I've also been on a Jim Carrey kick with the releases of The Mask and Ace Ventura on 4k. Long story short, the movie is as good as ever (let's not talk about the gay panic jokes). I'm curious to rewatch the sequel, but I know it's super extra bad.
Once Were Warriors (1994): Accidental 94 double-bill, I guess I had too much fun with the previous one (I should've done them the other way around). This is part of my giant Vinegar Syndrome order. It's an upgrade from the older australian blu-ray. They have the same extras on the disc, but this one has a booklet and a cool slipcover. This is one of those 'talked about, fairly successful on release, but still underseen', but also not always an easy watch. I don't want to spoil anything, but if you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about. It's also another 'Hollywood swallowed and spit out the director' thing. It did win almost all of the prizes it came across. We discovered Lee Tamahori with this, then did a couple of small things, eventually did one of the most hated James Bond flick of the series (I personally like it and will defend it every chance I get), and it was all downhill from there. But we should all be thankful he gave us the great Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett). This is an absolute must watch. Oh, and there's a sequel (different director), that's apparently not bad, but nowhere near as good as this.
Looking at Tamahori's filmography, I got curious about The Edge, which I never saw, but just now realising it's written by David Mamet. The IMDB score is fairly good, so I'm hopeful. Blu-ray ordered.
La gammick (The Mob, 1975): Still going down on my VS order pile. A small Quebec movie about crooks doing crooked things. Mostly forgotten around here, but most of the supporting cast is filled with renown and beloved Quebec actors. It's a fine movie, but low budget, so it's a lot of people talking in rooms.
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965): "Possibly the best movie ever made" - John Waters... Finally, I got it on blu-ray, I didn't realize it has been reprinted in 2025. When JB did a column about it a couple of weeks ago, I went searching again. A word on the blu-ray... It's barebone. It doesn't even have a menu, no extras, no subs, nothing. And it cost a lot of money. I knew it when I added to cart, but I'm hoping Severin (because they did the Vixens movies) will do a proper release at some point. Or maybe MVD, who distribute this disc, will step up and redo it properly. Apparently, the rights owners are being dicks about it, so I guess we're lucky to even have this.
Tamahori went on to do some very bad things ("Die Another Day" ๐คข๐คฎ), but he discovered and intruduced us to Temuera Morrison and for that we're grateful. ๐๐
"DAD" has CG wind-surfing Bond, an invisible car, a Madonna title song, Rosamund Pike visibly wishing she would be anywhere but this movie, an ice castle... etc., etc., etc. To be fair, last time l saw "DAD" it wasn't as bad as l remembered and had a few highlights (Bond's torture/escape to the hotel, the epic sword fight with Gustav in the club, John Cleese, etc.) that lift it above 2-3 other worse 007 movies... still bottom 5. ๐คฏ๐ซค
Never seen either "Dumb..." or "Faster..." Which is worth a blind 1st time watch? For what it's worth not a fan of either Jim Carrey or Russ Myer. ๐ซฃ๐คซ
Faster Pussycat is described as being a good entry in the Meyer filmography. I'm not a huge fan of his stuff either, but Faster is hella fun. And it's not as sleazy as his other stuff, if that's what's bothering you
Dumb is early Farrely's, so there's some issues. It's also part of the 1994 Carrey trilogy that made him a superstar (with The Mask and Ace Ventura).
FPKK is a straight up exploitation classic! Cars and girls... not necessarily in that order. The dialogue is priceless. The cinematography is superb; the last time I saw it was in the theater,, and I was wowed. I say tuck it away for next June!
good luck on the dumb and dumber sequel, curious to see if you liked it. i only remember turning it off 15 minutes in. felt like a sequel that came too late and shouldn't have been made. and i'm pretty sure i'm not mistaking the prequel starring Stiffler.
The Russ Meyer estate is the problem when it comes to getting a good physical media release for Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill!. I talked to someone about this subject and was told that the estate is asking for a lot of money for the rights. The estate might wish to keep the title for its own release, but nobody involved seemed willing to pay for the work involved in producing a 4k scan. We will find out if that ever happens.
The Edge is awesome. I haven't rewatched Dumb and Dumber since the '90s when it was the funniest thing possible. I've grown to not like Carrey much, so I don't want to revisit it and be disappointed (like when I revisited Ace Ventura). Die Another Day is a bit silly, but I do like it. Once Were Warriors is very good, but I'm not sure I'll ever want to watch it again.
House on Haunted Hill (1959): Another blank spot filled in my classic-must-watch list. This came about for two reasons. First, while talking with a friend, he mentioned that it was one of his favorite movies ever. Second, there's a commentary track by commenter-extraordinaire Heath Holland. Obviously, I had to get the blu-ray. Well, it did not disappoint, either the film of the commentary (I rarely listen to those), with a few very fun twists. I think I saw the remake, back in 1999, but I don't remember much, only that its reputation is not great (as horror remakes go).
SUPERGIRL (2026) Milly made a great Kara, showcasing how she’s her own character and not just Clark with a skirt. And I enjoyed the space action and the kooky aliens. But the villain was weak, there were too many needle-drops, and Lobo did nothing. So, not perfect, but I enjoyed it. (The Peter David and Sterling Gates runs in the comics are still tops.)
ENEMY MINE (1985) An unappreciated gem from Wolfgang Peterson. Doesn’t look like much, but it takes some big ambitious swings.
THEY WILL KILL YOU (2026) Super-cool movie! I’m assuming the filmmakers are big Sam Raimi fans.
THE MANY ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH (1977) It occurred to me that I’d never seen this in its entirety, so I gave it a go. It’s just adorable, of course. Everybody says I’m an Eeyore, but I feel like I’m more of a Piglet.
MATINEE (1993) Joe Dante goodness!
FAST FIVE (2011) Can somebody please mythbust the whole dragging-a-vault-through-city-streets-at-high-speed thing?
TREASURE PLANET (2002) Fun movie, but a little sad how the CGI keeps overwhelming the hand-drawn animation.
JURASSIC PARK (1993) Something something Unix system something.
"Treasure Planet" live-action remake stat, just as soon as the "Moana" live-action remake makes a killing at the box office this weeke... ugh, never mind. ๐ณ๐ค๐
It was was an interesting mix of films this week. It involved finally crossing off an iconic 1990s flick from my watchlist. I am planning on going to the Gap Theatre tonight for a 1960s s-e-x-p-l-o-i-t-a-t-i-o-n double feature highlighting director Joseph Sarno.
HELL OR HIGH WATER (1954, dir. Samuel Fuller) – Hell or High Water feels like a 19th-century adventure tale updated for a mid-20th century audience. (Think of Jules Verne.) Richard Widmark is a WWII submarine captain hired to lead a private submarine mission to an island in the Pacific Ocean to investigate nuclear tests. All of this happens on an old Japanese submarine manned by a with a ragtag crew. The story takes a turn I did not anticipate, which adds some entertainment to what can be a “meh” film much of the time. The romance subplot adds a lot of awkwardness to everything. Overall, this is watchable adventure cinema if you have a couple of hours to kill.
HIGHLANDER (1986, dir. Russell Mulcahy) Directors Cut – I definitely saw part of this when I was a kid, but I have no recollection of seeing it all the way through. I did this time and quickly realized applying logic to the story was going to be pointless. 16th-century Scotland, 1980s New York, Sean Connery hamming it up, a memorably demented villain, and plenty of sword fights are all rolled into an entertaining package. Mulcahy, one of the pioneering music video directors, knew how to create engaging visuals. When Clancy Brown’s Kurgan is on the screen, he always steals the scene. That church scene with McCloud is fantastic. There is also the Queen soundtrack. Looking up information about Highlander, I learned a remake is being made.
FIGHT CLUB (1999, dir. David Fincher) – A first-time watch and probably the only David Fincher film I have seen besides Alien 3. Though I went into this knowing the story twist, I still found Fight Club to be an effective film. Hollywood generally does not make this kind of black comedy. Tyler Durden is a fascinating character, becoming more and more nihilistic as the film goes on. Brad Pitt nailed the combination of charisma and repulsiveness that Durden represents. The cult that forms up around him, a form of misguided masculinity, is disturbing, too. A long time has passed since I watched anything with Ed Norton. The biggest surprise to me was Meat Loaf, whose character is by far the most sympathetic in the film.
I just got Highlander on 4k. It's on the pile and will be watched soon. The remake is with Henry Cavill and Russell Crow, with director Chad Stahelski. I'm very curious to see it when it comes out
I watched Highlander on old DVD I picked up from the Salvation Army. Though the transfer does not look good in certain scenes, the picture quality was decent for most of the film.
I think everything post-VHS for Highlander has been the Director's Cut. Or I guess really it's more appropriate to say that from DVD on, the slightly butchered US Cut was no longer used anywhere since the Director's Cut is just the version that was released elsewhere as far as I understand.
Russell Mulcahy is probably best-known for the early Duran Duran music videos. A personal favorite of mine is the video he made for The Motels song Only The Lonely.
Last night I watched One False Move (1991) for the first time (inspired by liking Devil in a Blue Dress so much last month). Pretty good movie that I think I'll need to rewatch to appreciate more. It was a neo-noir about criminals from L.A. are being tracked by cops, aided by some intel from a small-town Arkansas sheriff. The plot and pacing threw me off my expectations but I still felt its impact at a significant enough angle.
Bill Paxton had a great performance and inspired me to have a little fun writing: ...The frailty of his pride spurring him to hatch a simple plan against the aliens from L.A. Good story, too. Even when the end is near, dark secrets come out as a little twister in the plot. But is it true? Lies are plentiful when you're trying to avoid capture or your tombstone.
"One False Move" was runner-up during last month's Black Filmmakers! Day (for Carl Franklin). If you google or YouTube 'Siskel & Ebert One False Move' you'll see how far the duo pushed for "OFM" to get Oscar recognition. They really championed/pushed it hard on their syndicated TV show. ๐๐
Light week for movies for me, but I'm all caught up with The Vampire Lestat (or Interview w/t Vampire season 3 if you prefer) with two episodes left. Never got into reading Ann Rice novels, haven't really cared much for the movie adaptations, and always thought the description of novel of The Vampire Lestat in particular sounded kinda dumb. Damned if these guys don't keep blowing me away with the series though.
Maybe I'm just overly judgmental of books I haven't read, but I suspect it's more the case that the writers and particularly the lead actors have elevated the material substantially. Only downside is 2 years between seasons, but if they did these as movies, it would take longer for less, so this is a reasonable trade-off.
I hate when quality premium cable or streaming shows take years between seasons, but that's the new normal l guess. As long as you're happy with the quality of "Vampire Lestat," Ross, that's all that matters. ๐๐
Rob DiCristino's review of "Moana '26" here at FTM prompted me to cancel my AMC Dolby Cinema reservation. Best night of peaceful sleep l've had in a while. ๐ ๐
The Joseph Sarno double feature at The Gap Theatre this night was not well attended, but I had an enjoyable evening. Having a chance to watch his films projected onto a big screen does not happen often.
The first film shown is one of his most famous, the 1968 Swedish production INGA. The title character is a seventeen-year-old girl sent to live with her aunt after her mother dies. The aunt, however, has no scruples trying to get Inga to become the mistress of a rich friend. The melodrama dominates as the girl's innocence is gradually whittled away by her experiences. The polished filmmaking here shows how much Sarno had grown as a director.
Sarno's 1964 film WARM NIGHTS AND HOT PLEASURES manages to be sleazy without showing a lot of flesh. Three college friends decide to try their luck in New York City by seeking jobs in the theatrical world. Each of them suffers some sort of indignity as certain favors are asked of them. Once again, the melodrama is at a high pitch. WARM NIGHTS highlights the attention to story details that set Sarno's work apart from most of his exploitation contemporaries. On the cinematographic side, the night shots around the city are surprisingly beautiful. The sound of the print was not good, though.
Even though Warm Nights is not among Sarno's top films, it shows a director who knew how to get the most out of the resources (people and money) that he had.
Regarding the sound issues, the dialogue was hard to hear in a lot of scenes, and the loud jazzy score was not in good balance with it. It could be that the film had sound issues during production, or it could be the sound mix on the print. I would guess that Warm Nights was shot on 35mm. It is in black and white.
Guess adult movies (aka high-brow p0rno) appeals to a very niche repertory crowd, since so few attended your Sarno double feature. Here in NYC Nitehawk Cinema has been running a weekly series on 'X' rated features every Tuesday nite since forever: https://nitehawkcinema.com/williamsburg/movie s/sexworld/?date=2026-07-14 ๐ซฃ๐คฅ
To be honest, I'm getting tired of reading reviews praising Evil Dead Burn for having "so much to say". Vaguely (or not so subtly) hinting at a serious subject doesn't 1) make a movie good, 2) mean it has anything substantial to say about it. Also, this is pretty obvious but at times really feels like it bears repeting: being French doesn't automatically make it smarter. Director Sรฉbastien Vaniฤek (whom I was rooting for and whose previous movie, Vermines, I liked) is very much -and by his own admission- a "style over substance" kinda guy (keep in mind that his main frame of reference was the 2013 remake - he had never seen any of the Raimi ones, which is not necessarily a sin in and of itself but informs a lot of the choices made here). Also, making your movie about domestic abuse yet gleefully showing all your female characters be on the receiving end of countless (very realistically pictured) acts of torture is certainly... a choice. I found myself thinking "that's enough" more than once! And again, hitting you over the head with unrelenting violence does not magically make the movie interesting... or subversive in the slightest. Everybody's talking about "New French Extremity" in their reviews, and I couldn't disagree more - I don't think there's much Frenchness left in this very American "product", to quote the filmmakers. (maybe some reasonably successful gags here and there -including an unexpected smash cut at the beginning of the movie that made me chuckle)
I also watched The Plague (Charlie Polinger, 2025), and liked it so much it went straight to my best of list for the year (it came out in June here in France). Here's a quote I found on Letterboxd that sums it up perfectly: "The Plague doesn’t use bullying as a metaphor for horror — it uses horror to express the lived reality of being bullied." (Paul Thomas) I found it truly incredible, the script is very smart and nuanced, the direction is fantastic (and it's a first movie!!), and it probably features several of the best performances of the year (those kids are insanely talented). I don't remember hearing about it in a "Have you seen anything good lately" section, so I highly recommend it!
Just saw the trailer for "The Plague." Most intriguing.๐ฅต It's streaming on AMC+, will keep an eye out for it.๐
Do you need to have seen the previous two post-2013 "Evil Dead" reboots to watch "E.D. Burn"? Or is it a standalone? Even though he's only producing this one, latter-day Sam Raimi's producing output is most intriguing to see. ๐ค๐คจ
are theatrical releases in SDR? all these negative reviews of Moana complain of bland and washed out colors. search tells me they are, but never heard it discussed. audiences are spoiled by the vibrant HDR colors on bluray perhaps?
Non-premium theaters show SDR, but at a much higher color gamut than home cinemas due to professional industry calibration/standards and (theater-dependent) high intensity light bulb projection. The best SDR presentation can match or surpass low-quality HDR product, both theatrically and in 4K home video. IMAX, Dolby Cinema and 'lesser' premium formats can incorporate HDR highlights encoded into the format if the projector/screen are paired properly (an issue in smaller markets that can't afford ALL elements in the HDR chain), but it's always a case-by-case issue. For the new "Moana" sounds like filmmakers tried to make cinematography more realistic, which contrasts with the animated versions' super-bright, ultra-colorful digital cinematography. ๐๐
I didn't watch any movies this week :( I've been working a ton of OT and just burning through ST Voyager season 7. Watched the final episode (which is movie length) on Friday, and what a banger of an episode. I'm feeling a little lost now, and I don't know what to watch (despite the many good recommendations here). I have a week off (first since last November) so I will have more movies to share by next weekend (more than zero lol).
Hey, do you know what would make this week even better? Release Horizon: The Best American Sage Chapter 2! We know it's been made; people have seen it. Release the damn thing. And make part 3 and 4. It's not a saga if you just show us Chapter 1. Goddamnit.
Picard: Season 3. Skip the first two, they are revoltingly terrible. They blew up the show, brought in a show-runner who knew what he was doing for Season 3 and it is incredible. It's essentially Star Trek: TNG: Season 8. Cannot recommend it highly enough. Also agree w/ Ross on Star Trek: Enterprise. It's real good.
When do the first full reviews of The Odyssey come out? I thought they would after the UK screening but apparently that was only something called a social media reaction embargo. I'm dying to read 1 review from someone who watched the film, because it seems they're holding back some big twist they don't want people to know. And not like a Crying Game type twist ending, but that the trailer is not selling the same film. I just want that confirmation. Disclaimer-- i'm not fighting in the culture wars, i don't care about period accurate armor, Homer isn't even a historical person, let alone the events of the movie. (his bibliography shrinks the longer scholars study him). The Trojan War and horse are in The Iliad. they're mentioned briefly in the Odyssey as memories. Matt Damon doesn't have an army, they've been vanquised. So I think the "secret" is they don't want it known that its not a 3 hour sword and sandal epic like Jason and Argonauts. What's curious is that the critic reactions all sell it as one-- epic, huge, enormous scale, adventure, etc. the movie will be good, but i can't reconcile what they could be hiding. in terms of casting, his recent interview makes it sound like he wanted the movie filled with big names. which again harkens back to golden age cinema epics like Cleopatra that prioritized stars over accuracy. But I think audiences do want to know if they're going to a realism-based movie like if Mel Gibson adapted it, or if its not to be taken seriously. and I can't reconcile it isn't mean to be a serious movie. my biggest fear in all this is that it turns out to be a movie about Matt Damon who is a soldier in a coma or otherwise dealing with PTSD where it explains why there is this talk of modernity from some of the hints being dropped. (also like anyone else I want the answer to whether there was stunt-casting involved, but I'll form my own answer from reviews, i don't need him to answer that directly he wouldn't anyway)
R.I.P. Louise Lasser.๐ฅบ๐ข๐ญ News of her recent passing convinced me to keep the exploitation train running a little bit longer. Here's more JUNESPLOITATION!-IN-JULY reviews!๐๐ค
ReplyDeleteBLOOD RAGE (1987, ARROW BLU-RAY; streaming on MOMETU). Still one of the most expensive movies I've ever bought ($60+ a decade ago for a 3-disc used copy), but so worth it. This Thanksgiving-themed slasher earned the F This Movie community's love the year it was discovered. Mark Soper's excellent dual performance as twins Terry/Todd should have been the standout hook alongside the unrated gore and killer catchphrase ('It ain't cranberry sauce!'), but Louise Lasser wouldn't allow it. Her one-woman show as a grieving mother having a night-long nervous breakdown, followed by a killer final scene alongside Soper by a blood-soaked indoor pool, achieved FTM immortality. Watching it again last night, "Blood Rage" still holds together as a low-budget, bordering-on-amateur-acting (hi, Ted Raimi) 80's production carried to the finish line by the strength of its two lead performers and the gore guys doing whatever they wanted. 4.20 HEADS WRAPPED AROUND DANGLING CHRISTMAS LIGHTS (out of five).
DEADLIEST PREY (2013, TUBI; also streaming on FAWESOME). 27 years after doing the "Rambo" thing (as seen on my "Deadly Prey" review last week), writer/director/producer David A. Prior returns for a sequel. Whether intentional or not (haven't seen enough new Prior movies to know if the man's skill level improved), "Deadliest Prey" remakes the '87 prequel almost shot-by-shot, with the same disregard for off-camera characters, three-note music sting (now enhanced with reverb) and amateur-hour acting by returning cast members (Ted Prior, David Campbell, Fritz Matthews, etc.) and newcomers alike (Tara Kleinpeter, the three young nerds, etc.). This is an irony-free follow-up that repeats the same story/action beats of its predecessor with a couple of WTF! twists near the end. A fun time if you're tuned into the Prior brothers' wacky wavelength. 3.65 TOSSED ASIDE DENIM SHORTS (out of five).
NINE DEATHS OF THE NINJA (1985, FAWESOME; also streaming on PLEX). My heart sank like a stone on water when I read this was a Crown International Pictures production (their logo's been removed from the streaming versions). The first action movie Shรด Kosugi headlined after leaving Cannon Pictures feels closer in spirit and execution to a Filipino "Megaforce"-type bad comedy, complete with James Bond-inspired opening credit montage and prominent-but-shoehorned-in roles for Shรด's two boys (Shane and Kane Kosugi) to strut their dad's training. When American schoolchildren are kidnapped during a trip to the Philippines by Dr. Strangelove-like terrorist leader Alby The Cruel and his henchwoman Honey Hump (Blackie Dammett and Regina Richardson, respectively, in embarrassingly bad performances made worse by the English dub), the D.A.R.T. code's activated and Spike Shinobi (Kosugi) leads a rescue team of three that takes its sweet time training, finding clues, talking nonsense among themselves and, in the end, storming the island jungle to rescue the hostages. Shรด Kosugi would go on to much better action work the same year ("Pray for Death"), leaving this unfunny corpse of a flick as a reminder that dying is easy, but good comedy is hard-as-hell to pull off. 2.35 KITTENS NEXT TO SLICED-BY-KATANA WATERMELONS (out of five).
Last and certainly least, SNIPER: SPECIAL OPS (2016, ROKU CHANNEL; also streaming on PLUTO-TV). I've stayed away from recent Steven Seagal movies for the same reason many people avoid daily news coverage of you-know-who. Except to ridicule/make fun of how overweight, stationary and stunt-dependent for basic movements he's become (going up/down the stairs), why bother watching a post-early aughts' Seagal flick? This one's tolerable because director Fred Olen Ray (!) shows restraint and keeps everything grounded/serious. Flat, utterly joyless. 2.0 SNIPER MOUNTS HIDING STEVEN'S HUGE GUT (out of five).
JULYSPLOITATION!!!
DeleteNah, too much like "Christmas 2." ๐ค๐ Junesploitation!-in-July has a ring to it... plus it ends today. Next week we go back to fawning for Junesploitation! 2027. ✊️๐
DeleteAnd now back to our regularly-scheduled, non-exploitation reviews.๐
ReplyDeleteCaught YOUNG WASHINGTON (2026, THEATER) on the last day of last week's heatwave seeking AC theater relief, but wound up watching the best Angel Studios movie since 2023's "Sound of Freedom." The focus on a specific period of early American history that most people don't know (when young G.W. wanted to be part of the British Army and defend the Crown's right to American lands) is interesting and engaging. George (William Franklyn-Miller) shows virtue and leadership but also fails miserably. Men he liked and trusted (Leo Hanna) die under his misguided orders, which eventually makes him stronger. It feels like part 1 of a series (the sequel's already in the works) in the best kind of way, even if the Native-American scenes reek of "Dances With Wolves"-like mysticism. Mary-Louise Parker and Kelsey Grammer shine in small but pivotal roles.
WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER (2001, AMAZON RENTAL). Seen with the Jury Room 4.0 crowd during a spirited watchalong made me like this viewing more than the previous 2-3, though not enough to say I like the movie. Christopher Melloni steals every scene he's in, but besides him the number of bad/unfunny scenes (anything with Michael Showalter or Molly Shannon) is evenly matched with great/funny ones (the day spent doing drugs and ending up at a flophouse, the little kid driving the boat in the background, the loud jeers after the best musical theater performance ever, etc.) that leave me not wanting to gamble on another viewing by myself. An acquired taste not to my liking.
COUTURE (FRANCE/UNITED STATES, '26, THEATER). A well-meaning but ultimately meandering look at the lives of half-a-dozen women working on a Paris fashion show, this Alice Winocour is only worth seeing for behind-the-scenes access to parts of the industry seldom shown in movies. From a seamstress burning the midnight oil for her opening show dress (Garance Marillier) and the rookie African model that'll wear it (Anyier Anei's Ada) to the horror filmmaker (Angelina Jolie) directing an opening show mini-movie that takes a backseat to a sudden health scare, "Couture" 'is fine' but unmemorable. ๐๐
BOTTOMS (2023, AMAZON PRIME). First rewatch of this coming-of-age comedy about the female 'bottoms' of the social pecking order at a football-obsessed high school that start a self-defense 'Fight Club' to try and steal some of the thunder from the boys. Feeling both timely and timeless (clothes/fashions/music from different eras/decades, no cellphones besides a singular flip phone, etc.) while being made by a female crew with a mostly female cast (the opposite of "Porky's"), "Bottoms" has something to say about the lengths young people will go to fit in. Rachel Sennott, Havana Rose Liu and NFL great Marshawn Lynch (!) give the best performances, though the entire cast deserves a standing O. for the great group comedic timing during the epic final fight on the football field.๐๐คฃ
ALPHA (INDIA, '26, THEATER). Two Indian military men (Anil Kapoor's V. Kaul and Bobby Deol's Fateh) create a team of serum-powered super soldiers to prevent human losses to eternal wars with terrorists... until things go very wrong. Half sci-fi action, half cool-looking chicks (Alia Bhatt and Sharvari) kicking ass for mother India, "Alpha" keeps topping itself with soap opera-like plot twists reveals that culminate with the worst betrayal of all.๐ฒ๐ฅฑ Action fans will love the fireworks.
ENEMY MINE (1985, AMAZON RENTAL). First rewatch in decades after a late 80's VHS rental. A Wolfgang Petersen joint, this interplanetary war of wills between stranded pilots Davidge (Dennis Quaid) and Drac (Louis Gosset Jr. in heavy make-up) living in a meteor-showered space rock full of dangerous critters is kept interesting by both actors giving it their all. The last 30 minutes go "Star Wars"-level action crazy, a sharp contrast with the previous 90 mins. "Castaway"-like, low-key survival drama. Would make a great double-bill with "The Last Starfighter."๐ค
Bottoms was definitely a nice surprise hit for me when it came out. I've seen it a few times since then
DeleteLoved that all the football players wear their uniforms at school at all times, and the 'David Fincher Club' sign on the back after the group first dissolves. So many little details (like Josie's Atari shirt at the pep rally catchable on rewatch that l missed the 1st time. ๐ค๐ฅธ
Deletenot having even been aware of Young Washington until seeing it was 3rd over the holiday weekend, reading the RT reviews has been mildly frustrating in terms of the state of film criticism these days. one critic decried that it didn't spend any time on Washington's many speeches in front of the continental congress....a valid critique maybe if the movie wasn't titled YOUNG WASHINGTON. wonder if they were fans if 1988's Young Einstein.
Delete๐ For what it's worth the movie ends with text detailing the leader Washington became in his latter years... but "YW" takes place mostly in the 1750's. I was gonna take notice the movie didn't show George cutting down a tree with a hatchet and then not lying about it (early flashbacks to his kid youth at the star), but it really isn't that kind of historical movie. ๐ง๐คฅ
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteEnemy Mine is maybe the ONLY Wolfgang Petersen movies I haven't seen, and he's one of my favourites. I have the DVD, so maybe I'll move it to the top of the pile.
DeleteI was really underwhelmed by Bottoms, but I don't exactly remember why. Everyone else loves it though, so I should give it another chance. Maybe I just wasn't in a good mood.
"Enemy Mine" is worth a look. Whether it's worth revisiting after that first-time watch, it's up to your tolerance for 80's sci-fi severe tone whiplash. ๐๐
DeleteDumb and Dumber (1994): For a couple of years, I've been seeing bits of interviews with Jeff Daniels about this and other movies. Hearing him talking about the nuances of the roles, particularly in this, is shining a new light on the whole thing. I always liked the movie, but never gave it a second thought, before hearing Daniels explaining some things. I've also been on a Jim Carrey kick with the releases of The Mask and Ace Ventura on 4k. Long story short, the movie is as good as ever (let's not talk about the gay panic jokes). I'm curious to rewatch the sequel, but I know it's super extra bad.
ReplyDeleteOnce Were Warriors (1994): Accidental 94 double-bill, I guess I had too much fun with the previous one (I should've done them the other way around). This is part of my giant Vinegar Syndrome order. It's an upgrade from the older australian blu-ray. They have the same extras on the disc, but this one has a booklet and a cool slipcover. This is one of those 'talked about, fairly successful on release, but still underseen', but also not always an easy watch. I don't want to spoil anything, but if you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about. It's also another 'Hollywood swallowed and spit out the director' thing. It did win almost all of the prizes it came across. We discovered Lee Tamahori with this, then did a couple of small things, eventually did one of the most hated James Bond flick of the series (I personally like it and will defend it every chance I get), and it was all downhill from there. But we should all be thankful he gave us the great Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett). This is an absolute must watch. Oh, and there's a sequel (different director), that's apparently not bad, but nowhere near as good as this.
Looking at Tamahori's filmography, I got curious about The Edge, which I never saw, but just now realising it's written by David Mamet. The IMDB score is fairly good, so I'm hopeful. Blu-ray ordered.
La gammick (The Mob, 1975): Still going down on my VS order pile. A small Quebec movie about crooks doing crooked things. Mostly forgotten around here, but most of the supporting cast is filled with renown and beloved Quebec actors. It's a fine movie, but low budget, so it's a lot of people talking in rooms.
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965): "Possibly the best movie ever made" - John Waters... Finally, I got it on blu-ray, I didn't realize it has been reprinted in 2025. When JB did a column about it a couple of weeks ago, I went searching again. A word on the blu-ray... It's barebone. It doesn't even have a menu, no extras, no subs, nothing. And it cost a lot of money. I knew it when I added to cart, but I'm hoping Severin (because they did the Vixens movies) will do a proper release at some point. Or maybe MVD, who distribute this disc, will step up and redo it properly. Apparently, the rights owners are being dicks about it, so I guess we're lucky to even have this.
Tamahori went on to do some very bad things ("Die Another Day" ๐คข๐คฎ), but he discovered and intruduced us to Temuera Morrison and for that we're grateful. ๐๐
DeleteDie Another Day has Halle Berry and a space laser. That's all I need. I'm a very simple man ๐คฃ
Delete"DAD" has CG wind-surfing Bond, an invisible car, a Madonna title song, Rosamund Pike visibly wishing she would be anywhere but this movie, an ice castle... etc., etc., etc. To be fair, last time l saw "DAD" it wasn't as bad as l remembered and had a few highlights (Bond's torture/escape to the hotel, the epic sword fight with Gustav in the club, John Cleese, etc.) that lift it above 2-3 other worse 007 movies... still bottom 5. ๐คฏ๐ซค
DeleteYou don't need to sell me on it, i already like the movie ๐
DeleteDon't forget the bad guy with the expensive acne ๐คฃ
Never seen either "Dumb..." or "Faster..." Which is worth a blind 1st time watch? For what it's worth not a fan of either Jim Carrey or Russ Myer. ๐ซฃ๐คซ
DeleteFaster Pussycat is described as being a good entry in the Meyer filmography. I'm not a huge fan of his stuff either, but Faster is hella fun. And it's not as sleazy as his other stuff, if that's what's bothering you
DeleteDumb is early Farrely's, so there's some issues. It's also part of the 1994 Carrey trilogy that made him a superstar (with The Mask and Ace Ventura).
So neither one, thanks. ✌️๐
DeleteFPKK is a straight up exploitation classic! Cars and girls... not necessarily in that order. The dialogue is priceless. The cinematography is superb; the last time I saw it was in the theater,, and I was wowed. I say tuck it away for next June!
Deletegood luck on the dumb and dumber sequel, curious to see if you liked it. i only remember turning it off 15 minutes in. felt like a sequel that came too late and shouldn't have been made. and i'm pretty sure i'm not mistaking the prequel starring Stiffler.
DeleteThe Russ Meyer estate is the problem when it comes to getting a good physical media release for Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill!. I talked to someone about this subject and was told that the estate is asking for a lot of money for the rights. The estate might wish to keep the title for its own release, but nobody involved seemed willing to pay for the work involved in producing a 4k scan. We will find out if that ever happens.
DeleteThey allowed the Vixens movies, but not the one that everybody wants ๐ต๐ซ
DeleteI dig The Edge... hope the blind buy hits for you.
DeleteThe Edge is awesome. I haven't rewatched Dumb and Dumber since the '90s when it was the funniest thing possible. I've grown to not like Carrey much, so I don't want to revisit it and be disappointed (like when I revisited Ace Ventura). Die Another Day is a bit silly, but I do like it. Once Were Warriors is very good, but I'm not sure I'll ever want to watch it again.
DeleteHouse on Haunted Hill (1959): Another blank spot filled in my classic-must-watch list. This came about for two reasons. First, while talking with a friend, he mentioned that it was one of his favorite movies ever. Second, there's a commentary track by commenter-extraordinaire Heath Holland. Obviously, I had to get the blu-ray. Well, it did not disappoint, either the film of the commentary (I rarely listen to those), with a few very fun twists. I think I saw the remake, back in 1999, but I don't remember much, only that its reputation is not great (as horror remakes go).
ReplyDeleteSUPERGIRL (2026)
ReplyDeleteMilly made a great Kara, showcasing how she’s her own character and not just Clark with a skirt. And I enjoyed the space action and the kooky aliens. But the villain was weak, there were too many needle-drops, and Lobo did nothing. So, not perfect, but I enjoyed it. (The Peter David and Sterling Gates runs in the comics are still tops.)
ENEMY MINE (1985)
An unappreciated gem from Wolfgang Peterson. Doesn’t look like much, but it takes some big ambitious swings.
THEY WILL KILL YOU (2026)
Super-cool movie! I’m assuming the filmmakers are big Sam Raimi fans.
THE MANY ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH (1977)
It occurred to me that I’d never seen this in its entirety, so I gave it a go. It’s just adorable, of course. Everybody says I’m an Eeyore, but I feel like I’m more of a Piglet.
MATINEE (1993)
Joe Dante goodness!
FAST FIVE (2011)
Can somebody please mythbust the whole dragging-a-vault-through-city-streets-at-high-speed thing?
TREASURE PLANET (2002)
Fun movie, but a little sad how the CGI keeps overwhelming the hand-drawn animation.
JURASSIC PARK (1993)
Something something Unix system something.
fear not, the cgi flaws in Treasure Planet will get fixed in the live-action remake
Delete"Treasure Planet" live-action remake stat, just as soon as the "Moana" live-action remake makes a killing at the box office this weeke... ugh, never mind. ๐ณ๐ค๐
DeleteI read Moana got an A- cinemascore which i believe is really good, so it could weather the storm the first weekend and develop legs.
DeletePer deadline.com, it's trending toward being a ๐ฃ๐ฅ: https://deadline.com/2026/07/box-office-moana-1236979144/ ๐ซค
DeleteIt was was an interesting mix of films this week. It involved finally crossing off an iconic 1990s flick from my watchlist. I am planning on going to the Gap Theatre tonight for a 1960s s-e-x-p-l-o-i-t-a-t-i-o-n double feature highlighting director Joseph Sarno.
ReplyDeleteHELL OR HIGH WATER (1954, dir. Samuel Fuller) – Hell or High Water feels like a 19th-century adventure tale updated for a mid-20th century audience. (Think of Jules Verne.) Richard Widmark is a WWII submarine captain hired to lead a private submarine mission to an island in the Pacific Ocean to investigate nuclear tests. All of this happens on an old Japanese submarine manned by a with a ragtag crew. The story takes a turn I did not anticipate, which adds some entertainment to what can be a “meh” film much of the time. The romance subplot adds a lot of awkwardness to everything. Overall, this is watchable adventure cinema if you have a couple of hours to kill.
HIGHLANDER (1986, dir. Russell Mulcahy) Directors Cut – I definitely saw part of this when I was a kid, but I have no recollection of seeing it all the way through. I did this time and quickly realized applying logic to the story was going to be pointless. 16th-century Scotland, 1980s New York, Sean Connery hamming it up, a memorably demented villain, and plenty of sword fights are all rolled into an entertaining package. Mulcahy, one of the pioneering music video directors, knew how to create engaging visuals. When Clancy Brown’s Kurgan is on the screen, he always steals the scene. That church scene with McCloud is fantastic. There is also the Queen soundtrack. Looking up information about Highlander, I learned a remake is being made.
FIGHT CLUB (1999, dir. David Fincher) – A first-time watch and probably the only David Fincher film I have seen besides Alien 3. Though I went into this knowing the story twist, I still found Fight Club to be an effective film. Hollywood generally does not make this kind of black comedy. Tyler Durden is a fascinating character, becoming more and more nihilistic as the film goes on. Brad Pitt nailed the combination of charisma and repulsiveness that Durden represents. The cult that forms up around him, a form of misguided masculinity, is disturbing, too. A long time has passed since I watched anything with Ed Norton. The biggest surprise to me was Meat Loaf, whose character is by far the most sympathetic in the film.
I just got Highlander on 4k. It's on the pile and will be watched soon. The remake is with Henry Cavill and Russell Crow, with director Chad Stahelski. I'm very curious to see it when it comes out
DeleteI watched Highlander on old DVD I picked up from the Salvation Army. Though the transfer does not look good in certain scenes, the picture quality was decent for most of the film.
DeleteMy mistake. The film is entitled Hell And High Water. There is another more recent film with "or" in the title.
Deletebuying Highlander on home video used to be such a crapshoot, I'm sure its the sole reason sites like dvdbeaver exist.
DeleteHighlander helmer Russell Mulcahy directed the music video for "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler, who passed away this week.
DeleteI think everything post-VHS for Highlander has been the Director's Cut. Or I guess really it's more appropriate to say that from DVD on, the slightly butchered US Cut was no longer used anywhere since the Director's Cut is just the version that was released elsewhere as far as I understand.
DeleteRussell Mulcahy is probably best-known for the early Duran Duran music videos. A personal favorite of mine is the video he made for The Motels song Only The Lonely.
DeleteLast night I watched One False Move (1991) for the first time (inspired by liking Devil in a Blue Dress so much last month). Pretty good movie that I think I'll need to rewatch to appreciate more. It was a neo-noir about criminals from L.A. are being tracked by cops, aided by some intel from a small-town Arkansas sheriff. The plot and pacing threw me off my expectations but I still felt its impact at a significant enough angle.
ReplyDeleteBill Paxton had a great performance and inspired me to have a little fun writing:
...The
frailty of his pride spurring him to hatch
a simple plan against the
aliens from L.A. Good story, too. Even when the end is
near, dark secrets come out as a little
twister in the plot. But is it
true? Lies are plentiful when you're trying to avoid capture or your
tombstone.
Bill Paxton's cinematic haiku. ๐
Delete"One False Move" was runner-up during last month's Black Filmmakers! Day (for Carl Franklin). If you google or YouTube 'Siskel & Ebert One False Move' you'll see how far the duo pushed for "OFM" to get Oscar recognition. They really championed/pushed it hard on their syndicated TV show. ๐๐
Light week for movies for me, but I'm all caught up with The Vampire Lestat (or Interview w/t Vampire season 3 if you prefer) with two episodes left. Never got into reading Ann Rice novels, haven't really cared much for the movie adaptations, and always thought the description of novel of The Vampire Lestat in particular sounded kinda dumb. Damned if these guys don't keep blowing me away with the series though.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm just overly judgmental of books I haven't read, but I suspect it's more the case that the writers and particularly the lead actors have elevated the material substantially. Only downside is 2 years between seasons, but if they did these as movies, it would take longer for less, so this is a reasonable trade-off.
I hate when quality premium cable or streaming shows take years between seasons, but that's the new normal l guess. As long as you're happy with the quality of "Vampire Lestat," Ross, that's all that matters. ๐๐
DeleteYeah, it's not my ideal release cadence for a series. I think a show can only get away with it if it's high quality.
DeleteI had a ticket for the new Evil Dead movie, but my peeps on the internet said it was terrible. So I didnt' go
ReplyDeleteGail Daugtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is really good.
NOt great, but really good.
Rob DiCristino's review of "Moana '26" here at FTM prompted me to cancel my AMC Dolby Cinema reservation. Best night of peaceful sleep l've had in a while. ๐ ๐
DeleteThe Joseph Sarno double feature at The Gap Theatre this night was not well attended, but I had an enjoyable evening. Having a chance to watch his films projected onto a big screen does not happen often.
ReplyDeleteThe first film shown is one of his most famous, the 1968 Swedish production INGA. The title character is a seventeen-year-old girl sent to live with her aunt after her mother dies. The aunt, however, has no scruples trying to get Inga to become the mistress of a rich friend. The melodrama dominates as the girl's innocence is gradually whittled away by her experiences. The polished filmmaking here shows how much Sarno had grown as a director.
Sarno's 1964 film WARM NIGHTS AND HOT PLEASURES manages to be sleazy without showing a lot of flesh. Three college friends decide to try their luck in New York City by seeking jobs in the theatrical world. Each of them suffers some sort of indignity as certain favors are asked of them. Once again, the melodrama is at a high pitch. WARM NIGHTS highlights the attention to story details that set Sarno's work apart from most of his exploitation contemporaries. On the cinematographic side, the night shots around the city are surprisingly beautiful. The sound of the print was not good, though.
"Sarno's 1964 film WARM NIGHTS AND HOT PLEASURES manages to be sleazy without showing a lot of flesh." That takes skill. ๐๐ฅบ
DeleteWere these films originally shot in 16 or 35mm? B&W or color? Sound on 16mm prod7ctions is hard to keep synched to image.
Even though Warm Nights is not among Sarno's top films, it shows a director who knew how to get the most out of the resources (people and money) that he had.
DeleteRegarding the sound issues, the dialogue was hard to hear in a lot of scenes, and the loud jazzy score was not in good balance with it. It could be that the film had sound issues during production, or it could be the sound mix on the print. I would guess that Warm Nights was shot on 35mm. It is in black and white.
Guess adult movies (aka high-brow p0rno) appeals to a very niche repertory crowd, since so few attended your Sarno double feature. Here in NYC Nitehawk Cinema has been running a weekly series on 'X' rated features every Tuesday nite since forever: https://nitehawkcinema.com/williamsburg/movie s/sexworld/?date=2026-07-14 ๐ซฃ๐คฅ
Delete
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I'm getting tired of reading reviews praising Evil Dead Burn for having "so much to say". Vaguely (or not so subtly) hinting at a serious subject doesn't 1) make a movie good, 2) mean it has anything substantial to say about it. Also, this is pretty obvious but at times really feels like it bears repeting: being French doesn't automatically make it smarter. Director Sรฉbastien Vaniฤek (whom I was rooting for and whose previous movie, Vermines, I liked) is very much -and by his own admission- a "style over substance" kinda guy (keep in mind that his main frame of reference was the 2013 remake - he had never seen any of the Raimi ones, which is not necessarily a sin in and of itself but informs a lot of the choices made here). Also, making your movie about domestic abuse yet gleefully showing all your female characters be on the receiving end of countless (very realistically pictured) acts of torture is certainly... a choice. I found myself thinking "that's enough" more than once! And again, hitting you over the head with unrelenting violence does not magically make the movie interesting... or subversive in the slightest.
Everybody's talking about "New French Extremity" in their reviews, and I couldn't disagree more - I don't think there's much Frenchness left in this very American "product", to quote the filmmakers. (maybe some reasonably successful gags here and there -including an unexpected smash cut at the beginning of the movie that made me chuckle)
I also watched The Plague (Charlie Polinger, 2025), and liked it so much it went straight to my best of list for the year (it came out in June here in France). Here's a quote I found on Letterboxd that sums it up perfectly: "The Plague doesn’t use bullying as a metaphor for horror — it uses horror to express the lived reality of being bullied." (Paul Thomas) I found it truly incredible, the script is very smart and nuanced, the direction is fantastic (and it's a first movie!!), and it probably features several of the best performances of the year (those kids are insanely talented). I don't remember hearing about it in a "Have you seen anything good lately" section, so I highly recommend it!
Just saw the trailer for "The Plague." Most intriguing.๐ฅต It's streaming on AMC+, will keep an eye out for it.๐
DeleteDo you need to have seen the previous two post-2013 "Evil Dead" reboots to watch "E.D. Burn"? Or is it a standalone? Even though he's only producing this one, latter-day Sam Raimi's producing output is most intriguing to see. ๐ค๐คจ
It's a standalone, apart from a completely unnecessary and artificial post-credits scene that teases, you guessed it: an expanded universe!
Delete๐ณ๐ฒ๐คข๐คฎ
Deleteare theatrical releases in SDR? all these negative reviews of Moana complain of bland and washed out colors. search tells me they are, but never heard it discussed. audiences are spoiled by the vibrant HDR colors on bluray perhaps?
ReplyDeleteNon-premium theaters show SDR, but at a much higher color gamut than home cinemas due to professional industry calibration/standards and (theater-dependent) high intensity light bulb projection. The best SDR presentation can match or surpass low-quality HDR product, both theatrically and in 4K home video. IMAX, Dolby Cinema and 'lesser' premium formats can incorporate HDR highlights encoded into the format if the projector/screen are paired properly (an issue in smaller markets that can't afford ALL elements in the HDR chain), but it's always a case-by-case issue. For the new "Moana" sounds like filmmakers tried to make cinematography more realistic, which contrasts with the animated versions' super-bright, ultra-colorful digital cinematography. ๐๐
DeleteThis is an old video, but it explain the trend of boring coloring in movies
Deletehttps://youtu.be/hpWYtXtmEFQ?si=598tRYL1qZ1EDWNq
I didn't watch any movies this week :( I've been working a ton of OT and just burning through ST Voyager season 7. Watched the final episode (which is movie length) on Friday, and what a banger of an episode. I'm feeling a little lost now, and I don't know what to watch (despite the many good recommendations here). I have a week off (first since last November) so I will have more movies to share by next weekend (more than zero lol).
ReplyDeleteHey, do you know what would make this week even better? Release Horizon: The Best American Sage Chapter 2! We know it's been made; people have seen it. Release the damn thing. And make part 3 and 4. It's not a saga if you just show us Chapter 1. Goddamnit.
L
#FreeKevinCostnerEpic ๐
DeleteStart going through Star Trek: Enterprise.
DeletePicard: Season 3. Skip the first two, they are revoltingly terrible. They blew up the show, brought in a show-runner who knew what he was doing for Season 3 and it is incredible. It's essentially Star Trek: TNG: Season 8. Cannot recommend it highly enough. Also agree w/ Ross on Star Trek: Enterprise. It's real good.
DeleteWhen do the first full reviews of The Odyssey come out? I thought they would after the UK screening but apparently that was only something called a social media reaction embargo. I'm dying to read 1 review from someone who watched the film, because it seems they're holding back some big twist they don't want people to know. And not like a Crying Game type twist ending, but that the trailer is not selling the same film. I just want that confirmation. Disclaimer-- i'm not fighting in the culture wars, i don't care about period accurate armor, Homer isn't even a historical person, let alone the events of the movie. (his bibliography shrinks the longer scholars study him). The Trojan War and horse are in The Iliad. they're mentioned briefly in the Odyssey as memories. Matt Damon doesn't have an army, they've been vanquised. So I think the "secret" is they don't want it known that its not a 3 hour sword and sandal epic like Jason and Argonauts. What's curious is that the critic reactions all sell it as one-- epic, huge, enormous scale, adventure, etc. the movie will be good, but i can't reconcile what they could be hiding. in terms of casting, his recent interview makes it sound like he wanted the movie filled with big names. which again harkens back to golden age cinema epics like Cleopatra that prioritized stars over accuracy. But I think audiences do want to know if they're going to a realism-based movie like if Mel Gibson adapted it, or if its not to be taken seriously. and I can't reconcile it isn't mean to be a serious movie. my biggest fear in all this is that it turns out to be a movie about Matt Damon who is a soldier in a coma or otherwise dealing with PTSD where it explains why there is this talk of modernity from some of the hints being dropped. (also like anyone else I want the answer to whether there was stunt-casting involved, but I'll form my own answer from reviews, i don't need him to answer that directly he wouldn't anyway)
ReplyDeleteGot 12:30am tickets for Thursday nite 70mm preview. Review next week. ๐ค๐
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