A SIMPLE FAVOR

I like it when an actor/director branch out of their genre, especially if it's from comedy to drama. Paul Feig, along with writers Jessica Sharzer and Darcey Bell, deliver a suspenseful, thought-provoking, keep you guessing until the very end, whodunit. Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick's characters in this film could not be more unlike each other and yet they strike up a friendship. This is by far the most foul-mouthed and vicious I've ever seen Blake while Anna does a perfect job as an overbearing mother who is trying to grow her vlog. This is a smart, original and refreshing movie. I was excited going in to this and it did not disappoint. I may even help myself to a second viewing while it's still in theaters. If you have any interest, I do recommend seeing this! 7/10

Watched The Predator. It is a fun ride. Those mama jokes brings back old memories. Shane Black does do a good job, but some of the storylines get overweight and lost to where they are not resolved properly. Danny McBride is in both the Predator and Alien franchises now.
My rank is now
Predator
Predators
The Predator

Great review i12

Just read this to wife, I told her I’m in of she is in for the Queen Movie.

Awesome! I really did enjoy it. Enjoy!

Last night I watched Angel Face with Jean Simmons and Robert Mitchum (1952). Both are fine actors and the movie was black and white. I really like Mitchum.

Those movies are such a contrast with today's; the actors were so good and the screen was devoid of alot of movement and special effects. Thus, the actors had to perform well. It was not that interesting a plot, but it was worth watching because of the performances.

I recently saw THE POST MAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE. I had never seen it before and to be perfectly honest, really the only reason I watched is was because it was referenced in KILL BILL VOLUME 2 (which is my favorite movie of all-time). To your point olivant, yes, there isn't a lot of movement on the screen and the actors had to hold the audiences attention (which they usually did). I enjoyed the film. I thought it was good but not great. And that Lana Turner, wow, was she a beautiful woman!

THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1940)

This is the type of "old school Hollywood" that I miss. The grand epics with their majestic pageantry. A wonderful and engaging fantasy tale that featured both eye popping technicolor and wonderful special effects. Solid acting all around, especially from Conrad Veidt who I feel stood out the most with his scary and intimidating performance as Jaffar. Would love to see Criterion rerelease this on Bluray and see what that transfer would look like.

Watched all 3 parts of Friday last night.

Friday
Next Friday
Friday After Next

Great comedies about the hood, I think the first one was the most favorite for me.

Great films. Enjoy watching them..

Death Wish (1974)



Charles Bronson plays Paul Kersey, a man who's wife was murdered and daughter attacked by a group of thugs. Kersey is dissatisfied with how the police handle the case and takes to the streets of NYC to dish out his own vengeance on the crime element of the city. I like these kind of movies where one person takes matters into their own hands. The movie was remade with Bruce Willis in 2018 but I have yet to see it.

I never saw the original but the remake is straight garbage.

I expected as much. I might check that out if it's on Netflix or something but I have very low expectations.

Thrashin'



This is a cheesy 80's flick but I like it. Josh Brolin stars as Corey Webster, a skater who faces off against rival skate crew "the daggers". The movie is a look back at the Venice Beach scene in the 80's. A young Red Hot Chili Peppers performs in a scene. I collect skateboard related stuff and movies so I'm glad to have this in the collection. Now they just need to release Gleaming the Cube on Blu-ray.

Now u gotta see the remake w/ Jack Nicholson & Jessica Lange , directed by Bob Rafelson....not as good as the original but more stylish & sexy..Jessica ??..oh my!

IE: Falling Down/Micheal Douglas?...

How about The Gambler with James Caan from '74? He's an inveterate gambler who gets in deep with the mob and ends up corrupting a young basketball player to pay his debts.

At the end Caan makes a shot from the top of the key and a hook shot. He really does!

You also get to see a pre-Alice Vic Taybeck and a less than rotund Paul Servino. You also get to see alot of long hair.

The last scene is quite a surprise.

I'll look 4 it...haven't seen that 1 yet..sounds interesting...I do own "Cinderella Liberty" w/ Jimmy Caan & a smoking hot Marsha Mason from ..back then , she was really creamy..gor geous shaped mouth & lips..good movie.

NIGHT SCHOOL

Just got out from seeing this and while I like Kevin Hart, none of his solo movies have really been great and this is another example. Most of the funny parts as usual are in the previews, but not all (they actually saved you some). Not as funny as I was hoping/expecting. 5.5/10

VENOM

Ok, so you knew it wasn't going to be Marvel quality going in; but it also wasn't FANTASTIC FOUR/DC level bad either. It's a funny, decently enjoyable ride if you go in with those expectations. The studio went with the PG-13 rating to appeal to a wider audience and I'm not sure a R rating would have done much more for it. Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams are better than this and terribly underutilized. I am a Tom Hardy fan and I can honestly say, I think this was one of his movies that wasn't great. Also, there were 2 credits scenes. The first was kinda cool with a funny cameo but the 2nd was absolute garbage! I doubt a sequel gets made and wonder what it'll do for Sony's plans for their non-Spider-Man Universe? 5.5/10

Exactly. I need to rewatch that movie because I've only seen parts of it.

Brainscan



It's October which means it's time for me to pick up some scary movies. In Brainscan, Edward Furlong (Terminator 2) plays Michael a lonely teenager who orders the latest videogame. The new high tech wizardry penetrates his subconcious, where his darkest impulses lead him through a deadly maze of murder, deception and desire. I remember watching this on HBO as a kid in 90's. (I had older brothers and watched lots of stuff I shouldn't have lol) This movie is so 90's. I remember being jealous of Furlongs bedroom in this. They were ahead of their time with their portrayal of virtual reality which is now no longer science fiction. An underrated movie for sure.

A STAR IS BORN

A lot of buzz is surrounding this movie and for good reason too. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga give powerful performances respectively as a musician on the way out and one on the way up. I've never seen any of the other 3 versions so I went in to this completely blind. And while it's a great and powerful movie and an awesome soundtrack, it's also quite depressing (at least towards the end of the film). Sam Elliott also gives a strong performance as Cooper's brother. I'm sure Cooper and Gaga will receive Oscar nominations for their work and I wouldn't be surprised to see either of them (or both perhaps) walk away with some gold. 7/10

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE

A slowly burning film with mystery surrounding each of the seven strangers who visit the El Royale hotel. It reminded me somewhat of FOUR ROOMS where we get into a storyline and then it switches to someone else's backstory and repeats this formula. It kind of worked at first but once I was really into a storyline, I kind of got tired of being yanked out and having to start fresh with someone else's. A solid all around cast with a pleasing retro soundtrack. I do feel it outstayed it's welcome a little with a runtime of 2 hours and 21 minutes and by the end it was a little bit of a mess, but overall, I did have fun with it. Also, it was a nice switch to see Chris Hemsworth channeling his inner Jim Morrison as the villain Buddy Lee. 6.5/10

House on Haunted Hill (1999)



Scream factory recently released this on Blu-ray. It's a remake of the 1959 film. Geoffrey Rush plays a theme park bigshot who's hosting a scary/jokey birthday bash for his wife at an abandoned institute for the criminally insane. Any attendee who can survive the night will earn a million bucks. This movie is worth a watch for sure around Halloween. I haven't seen it since it came out, but it looks great now on my big fancy true motion 4KTV.

I remember really wanting to see that movie when it came out but somehow I never got around to it.

Event Horizon and 13 Ghosts are other horror movies I've planned on watching for some time.

First, I've got to continue my Nightmare on Elm Street franchise rewatch; I've watched Wes Craven's New Nightmare and the first 4 movies in chronological order but plan to continue with The Dream Child.

I remember liking it quite a bit when it came out because I was a teenager. Since then it hasn't aged well IMO. Still never seen the original but this is a fine little movie.

I prefer the original over the remake. I finishing watching Suspiria and recommend it. It is from the 1970s.

SUSPIRIA is amazing! I've really gotten in to it more this past year and am eagerly anticipating the remake (although originally I was against it).

Irishman12, another one from Dario Argento is Tenebre. Just finishing watching Night of the Creeps, some of those lines just makes me laugh.

I've seen TENEBRE. Not his best but not bad either. A nice little switch about half-way through.