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Time Bandits (2024)
Light, breezy fun
I understand people not liking this. It's light and breezy, it doesn't really need to exist and it mostly destroys the charm of the practical effects which helped make the original so great. But the original was simple-minded in its ending, and this one adds more complexity to the dynamics involving the parents (using the word complexity liberally). And, like the original, it's very funny. The Prohibition episode in particular I found to be very enjoyable. This won't be for everyone, and I would get a hardcore Gilliam fan's anger against it, but sometimes, you just need to turn off your brain and enjoy yourself, and this show is a perfect way to do that. I spend all my time watching movies or reading about them on LetterBoxd, so the fact that I am not only watching a show, but looking forward to it and enjoying it enough to write a review certainly says something.
Blue Beetle (2023)
Disappointing
Blue beetle got some good reviews, and it had some potential. But it was wasted. The script is bland - a mess of lazy jokes and old tropes we're tired of seeing. There's not very much that sets it apart from other superhero movies. It's dull and cliche.
Some of the members of the main family are likable enough, and the death of the father is very emotional, but it's just difficult to care about any of the characters. The leading villain is boring, although her henchman is given a tragic story that makes him the best part of the movie.
The action sequences are decently entertaining, but many of the protagonist's exclamations during them just make them annoying. The CGI is also terrible. Blue beetle isn't a boring film, but it's a lackluster one and I wouldn't recommend it.
Dead of Winter (1987)
Good atmosphere, dull script
1980s horror movies can be fun, but here, I was disappointed. It tells the story of a young actress who goes to a remote house in the middle of nowhere, only to find herself trapped in a scheme involving murder and blackmail. A classic thriller plot.
The film's snowy aesthetic is very well made. The windy sound design and blurry lighting really make you feel like you're in the same place as the characters. The film also maintains a good atmosphere of suspense. Unfortunately, the script is disappointingly bland.
The screenplay is basic and cliche. There are some good thrills and moments of suspense, but for the most part, it's rather dull. That's a shame. If more effort were put into the story, this could be a great suspense film. Instead, it's a decent but forgettable one.
Solyaris (1972)
A highly dull and overrated film.
When you think of Russian filmmakers, perhaps the first to come to mind is Andrei Tarkovsky. He's helmed respected films such as 'Stalker' and 'Mirror'. One of his most famous films is from 1972, and it's called 'Solaris'.
'Solaris' follows the story of a psychologist who journeys to a space station to investigate strange occurrences. The film soon takes a strange turn itself, with its surreal tone and scenes. The film was well received among critics and audiences. But I can't understand why.
'Solaris' is an unnecessarily long sci-fi film that stretches out its basic plot to be 3 hours rather than the 90 minutes it should've been. It's boring and dull, and the surreal moments add up to nothing. The film stresses its message in each scene, but these scenes don't make you question what makes a human human like they are meant to be. They just feel like the director blathering on and on about his point. It doesn't work.
Why Solaris is such a respected film, I don't know. It is far, far longer than it needs to be and it isn't intelligent like so many critics claim. It's bland and weak and doesn't feel like it possesses any meaning. Andrei Tarkovsky fumbled with this film. I would only recommend it to those looking to bore themselves to death for 3 hours.
Friday the 13th (1980)
I love it, but I realize it's no masterpiece.
In 1978, theaters were hit by a unique horror masterpiece: Halloween. Critics and audiences alike admired its suspense and tone, and wanted more. Through the late 70's, a few more similar horror films were released in the subgenre of 'slasher'. In 1979, Sean Cunningham and a film crew got to work on one such film, which they would release the following year. This film would be called 'Friday the 13th'.
The film follows a group of counselors at Camp Crystal Lake who are training during staff week. However, when they begin to disappear one by one, it becomes clear that something or someone sinister is causing these deaths.
Whether or not you'll enjoy Friday the 13th depends on how you look at it. You see, there is no focus on characters whatsoever. The teens we see are realistic, but not necessarily likable. The focus of the film isn't on characters or conflict, but a sense of suspense, fear and tone. In these aspects, it certainly succeeds. It mostly takes place on a dark and stormy night, and shows people getting killed, and those who are still alive slowly beginning to realize that something is wrong. In one masterful scene, the so-called final girl Alice prepares some food as the rain pours outside. Her expressions perfectly capture the growing suspense as she starts to realize that something isn't right.
If you focus on what the film focuses on, it is a good watch. It's not a great horror film like Halloween, but it's a suspenseful one that carries a creepy tone that is likely to stick with you. For horror fans, it will be undoubtedly entertaining. But for those who don't love the genre, it will likely feel dull. However, if you give it a chance, the suspense and mystery will entertain you.
Night on Earth (1991)
A good Jim Jarmusch comedy, even if it can't compare to some if his other efforts
Jim Jarmusch is a famed independent filmmaker, known for his unique and strange dramas that perfectly capture the wonders of cities and human emotion. In 1991, he directed a collection of vignettes that tell stories of Taxi Drivers and their passengers at the same time in different countries around the world.
The film has a good cast of stars: Isaac de Bankole, Roberto Benigni, Winona Ryder, Giancarlo Esposito and more. It also features a soundtrack from the legendary Tom Waits. These actors lead different stories that document different types of interaction and relationships between Taxi Drivers and their passengers.
The highlight of these shorts is without a doubt the final one. It foregoes the comedy of the others for a quieter story. A tragic one. Three people go into a taxi car, where they explain the tragic story of the third one. The driver says he's felt worse. If you want to know what is one of the most emotional and depressing stories ever told by a character in a movie, watch this film.
The worst of these vignettes is the one that stars Roberto Benigni, which is unfortunate seeing as how talented and hilarious can be. In this story, he drives a priest through the city and confesses all of the disgusting things he's done in his life while, unbeknownst to him, the priest is dying in the back seat of his car. The humor here is grimy and shocking. That doesn't make it bad, but it seems Jim doesn't really know how to pull off this type of humor, so it ends up being unpleasant to watch.
Despite that unfortunate segment of the film, it is a good collection of vignettes that manages to tell hilarious and existential stories in a small, confined space. If you get past the one bad episode, this is a great watch.
Die große Ekstase des Bildschnitzers Steiner (1974)
A fascinating film from master documentarian Werner Herzog
When you say the name Werner Herzog, many images come to mind: Vampires, Explorers, Aviators, etc. Werner has a huge filmography of films that are all very different, but often contain similar themes and tones. Whether it's an existential horror film or an experimental comedy, you can tell it's Herzog. Today, I am reviewing one of the director's less famous documentaries, but one of his favorite of his own films. It's called 'The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner'.
Werner's film follows the story of Swiss Ski-Jumper Walter Steiner. It documents his life as it happens, from every broken record to every moment of possible injury. It's not a film that looks back at the past through interviews, it shows everything at the exact moment at which it happened.
Herzog's camera captures slow-motion shots of Walter flying through the sky. These shots, paired with Popul Vuh's stunning score, are very powerful. They perfectly capture the most important moments in Steiner's life, and you feel them just as much as he does.
'The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner' is a short and simple doc, but it's a fascinating and well-made one. Werner Herzog stirs the audience's emotions perfectly, and makes this 45-minute watch one highly entertaining.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)
A good but flawed horror film
The story of Dracula is an iconic one. A blood-sucking monster who can only be killed by the sun or a stake through the heart attempts to kill more and more people. In his castle, on a boat, anywhere he can find food. There have been over 80 films to feature this iconic character, and, as of now, the most recent one is Andre Overdal's 'The Last Voyage of the Demeter.' The film is based off of a chapter of the original Dracula novel that shows the crew of a ship called The Demeter being killed by the titular vampire. This is the first adaptation to focus strictly on this section of the story. Let's dive in.
The movie begins on a dark and stormy night. A ship is found after crashing on the island, and a scavenger tells the police that there are no survivors. We then follow Clemens and his journey onto The Demeter. Suddenly, pets and people start to die, and their deaths may have something to do with the mysterious wooden box on the ship. Things get stranger and stranger as a sickly stowaway appears on the ship. As the crewmembers begin to realize that an evil entity is the killer, they hatch a plan to take him down.
'The Last Voyage of the Demeter' is a horror film that doesn't quite reach its potential. It could be a simple and claustrophobic horror mystery, but much of this film is rather unremarkable. That's not to say it's a bad film - it's a stylish and well-crafted tale of suspense and horror - but it could have been so much more. It would have created more fear if it showed less of the killer, and the narration is cheesy and completely unnecessary.
Still, these flaws don't cancel out the film's strengths. If the film lacks originality in story, it makes up for that in telling it with good characters and suspense. If the main villain loses some level of fear since it shows too much of the villain, at least his performance and Andre's direction make him charismatic as well as creepy. 'The Last Voyage of the Demeter' is not among the best adaptations of Bram Stoker's classic novel, but it's a solid and suspenseful horror film, and is definitely worth watching.
Asteroid City (2023)
A good comedy with a great cast
Wes Anderson is one of the most popular filmmakers in modern times. His colorful, innovative style and fresh take on the world of cinema has earned him a large fanbase and a status as a household name. Wes has directed hits such as 'The Fantastic Mr. Fox', 'Moonrise Kingdom' and 'The Grand Budapest Hotel', and most recently, 'Asteroid City.'
Wes Anderson's 'Asteroid City' is a lot like Jim Jarmusch's 'The Dead Don't Die.' It's a comedy that traps a huge cast of famous actors in a small town, forcing them to deal with a science fiction situation. Aside from the plot, another similarity is that it's the epitome of the director's style. And with Wes Anderson's style, this film is sure to be packed with bright, colorful visuals and multiple stories in one.
It's a story within a story within a story. Bryan Cranston plays a Radio host who explains the story of making a play called Asteroid City, which is the story of a Widower and his children getting trapped in a desert town after an Alien takes a visit. The government puts the town on lockdown, and people slowly begin to feel stir crazy.
'Asteroid City' is a very good comedy. Every actor puts in a good effort, from starring roles like Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks to small ones like Margot Robbie and Tony Revolori. There are stylish special effects, colorful visuals and hilarious moments to keep the audience entertained throughout, even if the two stories outside of the main one are unnecessary. While the ending brings very little closure, the rest of the film is a fun watch, and I would recommend it.
Magnum Force (1973)
A decent action film, but somewhat dull.
In 1971, movie audiences were taken aback by a shockingly gritty yet highly entertaining and suspenseful film called 'Dirty Harry'. Although it ended with the title cop tossing his badge in a river, the movie was too much of a success for studio executives to end Harry's story there. So, 2 years later, they released a follow-up: 'Magnum Force'.
The plot follows Harry investigating a series of murders where the victims are all criminals and the killer always disguises as a police officer. However, by the point that you're 50 minutes in, you aren't quite sure about what is supposed to be the main story. There have been a few of these killings, and a few action scenes with Harry that don't seem to have anything to do with the main story, but you're not completely sure what's the most important part for you to follow.
If you don't think about the plot, it's a better movie. But it's not a very good one, as it is rather dull and unoriginal. You will definitely see the twist coming, and the scenes leading up to the twist aren't even very mysterious.
Another thing that makes this movie feel a bit bland is the lack of an interesting villain. While The Scorpio killer in this film's predecessor was a shockingly maniacal and relentless monster, The enemies here have very little personality, and just feel like plot devices. In fact, many parts of the movie lack personality. The basic plot is just an excuse for action sequences, and doesn't have much else to it. To the film's credit, these scenes are certainly exciting, but the scenes without action are largely boring.
In conclusion, 'Magnum Force' is an unnecessary and lackluster sequel that doesn't add any new ideas to the series or the genre. Unless you're a die hard fan of Clint Eastwood, this entry in his filmography is worth skipping.
The Unsolved Killings of Jack the Ripper (2023)
Stylish documentary
The Unsolved Killings of Jack the Ripper is a gripping and stylish documentary about one of the most brutal strings of crimes in world history.
The director interviews the author of a book on Jack The Ripper, and he describes the victim's lives and encounters with the killer.
There are gritty re-enactments of the crimes and what happened in the streets of white chapel. The re-enactments hide the gore, but that makes them all the more disturbing. Just hearing the interviewee describe the bloody mutilations is enough to creep any viewer out.
This is a simplistic film, but it is done with style, and is made in a way that makes it very a fascinating watch. I would recommend it if you have 50 minutes to spare.
The Trader (2018)
Overrated but not too bad.
I'm surprised about how great the reviews seem to be. The Trader is a 20-minute document of the day-to-day life of a potato salesman in Georgia. It's got some fascinating moments, but it tells no story.
In the end, we are left to ask: what was that? What was the purpose? It certainly paints a gritty and bleakly honest picture of Georgia and the different lives there, but it offers no narrative or reason for its existence. It's like an unedited video tape. It's a mere document, not a documentary. And for a Sundance film festival short, that is very disappointing.
In summary, it is mildly interesting throughout, but there is really no point to it all.
Vinyl (1965)
Terribly boring.
I'm a fan of art films. I'm a fan of classic independent cinema. I'm a fan of experimental movies. But I'm not a fan of this.
Warhol makes a movie about a young criminal who enjoys a lot of 'the old up-yours' and saying the word 'scum'. Andy Warhol is not known for his cinema; while he has found fame in 'Flesh for Frankenstein' and 'Blood for Dracula', he isn't known for the films that he himself has directed. And for good reason.
He has directed films and shorts such as 'Empire' (8 hours that he forced people to sit through, all of a shot of a tower) and 'Sleep' (a 5-hour loop that he also forced people to sit through that was just his then partner John Giorno sleeping). As you can tell, Andy Warhol didn't make movies in the traditional sense.
Here is 'Vinyl', an hour-long adaptation of 'Clockwork Orange'. But believe me when I say that watching this film was one of the most tedious hours of my life.
The first 3 minutes are just of the main character lifting weights in front of a few people. The next 20 minutes are just of him talking about his lifestyle to a doctor and dancing, all done in the same room in the same shot. Soon, he is put on a mask, in which he sees terrible crimes being committed. There are long stretches of just him screaming. It's not suspenseful or shocking, just boring. There is no content or anything happening to keep the viewer interested. The whole film is just boring, and the acting is terrible. The lead actor delivers his lines with such stailness that his voice sounds flatter than an AI's.
Vinyl is a pointless, excruciating excursion into the most boring depths of Andy Warhol's mind. There is nothing. One can argue that he was trying to make us feel how the main character feels, but if that were the case, then the film should have shown what he was seeing and such. But it doesn't. It's just a flat, pointless and crudely-made movie that takes the concept of 'minimalist filmmaking' to a different level. A level that no one should explore, because it doesn't use the minimalism to boost its story and build tension and tightness. It's just bad, and there's nothing else to it. I would not recommend this film to a single soul. That would be cruel of me. One should not watch this, and that's all there is to say. You have nothing to prove by watching this movie. Just don't.
Vinyl is one of those films that you have to see to believe, but believing isn't worth the pain. It's the film equivalent of watching paint dry. Just don't watch it.
Per un pugno di dollari (1964)
The beginning of the spaghetti western craze
In 1964, westerns had faded in popularity. They were at the top of the market throughout the '30s, 40's and '50s, but as the idea of a B-movie faded and less movies were getting, the genre started fading out of the mainstream audience. Italy had a small history with westerns, with films such as 'The Golden Girl of The West (1942) and The Sheriff (1959). But none of these were big successes, and there were generally big gaps in between the years when these were made. However, soon, these films began to find some success, with three Italian westerns being released in 1963. In 1964, even more were made. And the seventh released that year was a worldwide cultural phenemon.
Director Sergio Lone retells the story of Akira Kurosawa's Samurai film, Yojimbo. But this time, it's set in the old west, starring a cowboy, who was relatively new to Italy. He drifts through the desert, getting stuck in a town whose citizens are in constant danger due to the town's warring crime families. In classic western style, the mysterious drifter cleans up the town.
But in this film, the hero isn't really a hero. Not a sheriff trying to protect his town, but not a villainous bandit, either. He's just doing what he can for money. He doesn't really care much about what happens, as long as he gets his payday. This concept of a neutral hero was new at the time, much like the craze the film soon brought on called 'Spaghetti westerns'.
This isn't only a famous film just due to its cultural significance. It made Clint Eastwood a star, it brought on the spaghetti western movement, and introduced a new type of hero in a new type of story. But this is a great film.
Not only does the movie star a great, cool character, but he's not invincible. Powerful, yes, but the end of the film is about when he is brutally tortured and left to rot. But he trudges on.
The film has great visuals, that not only have many iconic images, but also forged the path for what the western would soon become. It's not all dramatic views of the american west. It's beautiful pictures of small, minimalist-designed clay homes. Other than this, the camera angles aren't very revolutionary or anything.
The music is great. The famous Ennio Morricone's theme and tunes perfectly set the exciting spaghetti western mood that would be present in most that followed.
It also features a James Bond inspired opening with colorful and expressive visuals.
A Fistful of Dollars is the film that changed the shape of the western forever. It was the first acclaimed and big western that didn't come from America, and other than what it's done for the film world, there's a lot worth seeing here. Iconic quotes, tough villains and a great tone, A Fistful of Dollars is pure popcorn entertainment, even for people who don;t usually like to watch old movies. A Fistful of Dollars was a trailblazing film of great renown. And for anyone who wants to watch great movies, it is not to be missed.
Cry Macho (2021)
Cry Macho
Clint Eastwood's ness was film which he directs and stars in as a 92 year old is better than one would expect given the reviews and the main man's age.
Clint plays a washed up rodeo star sent by his boss to find the boss' son and bring him back.
Could the film be better? Yes. But it's definitely an interesting, character-driven piece of cinema. Sometimes the film is about old age, sometimes it's about masculinity, sometimes it's about the relationship between the two stars, it's complicated. The themes don't mix as well as they should, and it feels like the theme of manliness just sort of jumps in at the end and isn't fleshed out at all, despite the title.
But don't let the flaws drive you away-Cry Macho is an emotional film with characters that you really get to care about.
The ending seems like it's meant to be ambiguous, but it feels sort of sudden and anticlimactic. It seems like some of the film's buildup was for nothing. But again, this is still a good film, if flawed.
I hope this review helped some people understand that this is a good film, even if the critic scores on rotten tomatoes and Metacritic are low. It's a good film, and I'd recommend it to anyone who reads this review. It shows that Clint Eastwood's talent hasn't deteriorated in his old age, and he still has the flair he possessed in his golden age (the '70s). To any fan of film, one can do worse than these 100 minutes of your time.
Le ballon rouge (1956)
One of the greatest shorts ever made.
A young child walks up stone steps. They are gray. But instead of looking sad or depressing, it's beautiful. He steps up the stairs and splashes through the wet ground, running through water fresh with rain. His reflection is clear, but he doesn't stop to look at it. He is in too much of a hurry. He lives a simplistic life, free of electronics and technology. He spends all day having fun and playing games with his red balloon.
Albert Lamorrisse iconic 1956 french short film has become a classic, and with good reason. It is an inspiring, beautiful story about the simplicity and joys of childhood, and the simple lives that people used to live. Back then, it was art from everyday life. But now, it's a snapshot into a long gone, simple time in history.
The Red Balloon is a beautiful tale of friendship and childhood, and not to be missed. You'll love to see the marvels of the vintage French suburbs, and your children will love to watch it with you. The film is captivating and inspiring in a way that very few are, and is something that everyone should see.
I giorni dell'ira (1967)
One of Lee Van Cleef's highest rated spaghetti westerns.
Day of Anger is a curious western with a psychedelic (almost James Bond like) opening and some strange storytelling choices.
Lee Van Cleef takes a young garbage boy under his wing, but instead of teaching the boy, he just hits him half the movie. Given the way the main character looks up to Lee and the fact that he is played by Cleef, we aren't really sure whether Cleef is good or bad (although I wasn't really rooting for him, despite the fact that he's played by one of spaghetti westerns' most prominent protagonists).
But in the end, Cleef ends up killing the main character's step-father, and the main character ends up killing Cleef. A risky move, and while Lee's character's writing didn't really work out in the film's favor, the risk was admirable enough to land the film a solid IMDB rating.
There's some cool action aided by a great score, and while the film definitely could have been better, at the end of the day, it's a spaghetti western. I'd only recommend it to Spaghetti western and Lee Van Cleef fans, but I admire the risks they took by killing off Lee Van Cleef at the finish of the film.
The Scarlet Car (1917)
The Scarlet Car is a solid Lon Chaney film.
The Scarlet Car is a 1917 silent drama starring Lon Chaney and Edith Johnson. It follows the story of a suing for embezzlement, and the man getting sued, played by Lon Chaney.
Being only 50 minutes, it's little more than a brief excursion into the life of a man and those in his life once his life goes downhill. But for what it is, fans of Lon Chaney and silent film will enjoy it. There is entertainment to be found in the drama and the clever hiding of an import paper inside of the leg of a table.
It's a small film-there's not much to it-but for fans of classic film, this is a solid way to spend 50 minutes of your time.
Le colt cantarono la morte e fu... tempo di massacro (1966)
A great spaghetti western
A miner comes home after years to find that his brother is a drunkard, his mother lonely, and all citizens fearful of their town's dictator and his crazy son.
Franco Nero is a great western star, and before he was made famous by Django, he made this. 'Massacre Time', also known as 'The Brute and the Beast', also known as 'Django the Runner' (re-titled after Django came out later that year to make more money), the film is still very strong, equal parts as funny and action-packed.
'Massacre Time' delivers on all you could hope for from a Spaghetti western. Gore, revenge, a drunkard character and interesting fights. There is one particularly long fight scene with whips, and the film's ending has some pretty cool action, too.
That said, there are some oddities. The protagonist's relationship with his brother is weird. When he comes home with open whip wounds on his face, the brother doesn't acknowledge it at all. And he doesn't seem to care much when the protagonist comes home at the start of the movie, either. Is it because the brother is always drunk? Is it because of the twist, which I'll force you to watch the movie to find out? I don't know. But this small flaw doesn't prevent the film from being a strong spaghetti western.
'Massacre Time' is worth watching for any fan of westerns. It provides on all of the great tropes and doesn't feature any of the annoying ones such as gratuitous romantic arcs. The movie isn't all action; there's tension and dialogue to be had. But there's enough of everything you could want that the filmmakers could pack into ninety minutes. I would definitely recommend this movie, it is one of the better none-Django films with the Django name. For Franco Nero fans and spaghetti western fans alike, this film is worth the watch.
Ehi amico... c'è Sabata. Hai chiuso! (1969)
Aye, Amigo! That's Sabata!
Lee Van Cleef, the spaghetti western legend, in his own trilogy of films: Sabata!
A bounty killer/drifter (as usual) walks into an old western town (as usual) and dispenses justice (also as usual). But Sabata is a curious film. The villain isn't a group of bandits plaguing the town, but the town's leader, a white-suited James Bond villain. He sets up a heist, which is foiled by Sabata, who demands reward money. He also teams up with Carrincha and Alley Cat, and is followed by a mysterious (and quite annoying) figure named Banjo. Together, they keep raising the price of the reward money, and keep taking down more baddies.
This film is not what I expected. As one of Van Cleef's most famous films, I expected more from this. And the trailer made it seem much more fun and crazy than it was. While it isn't boring by any means, it's just not over-the-top like most of the best spaghetti westerns are. Much of the time is devoted to the annoying Banjo and a ridiculous amount of cheesy zooms. Almost as many zooms as there are parentheses in this review. While these unnecessary zooms can cause a few chuckles, they manage to take some viewers out of the movie.
The movie feels like it's searching for a story the whole time. It feels stupid how many times it repeats itself, the bounty reward money raising and the amount of murderers sent after Sabata growing.
There is one character, a fat bounty hunter who is considered one of the best shots in the town. He is sent after Sabata, and is presented in a weird way. He has an overprotective mother, he's very offbeat. While he is made out to seem like the real deal, he is only in two scenes, and gets killed by Sabata in the second one. Obviously this is meant to show how strong Sabata is, but it feels like the movie wasted our time with the gratuitously long scene that came before.
There is also the problem of Alley Cat. He never talks and is basically a ninja, but there's nothing interesting about him. He does very little in the movie, and he doesn't need to be in it at all.
Criticisms aside, this film isn't bad. Bottom line is, it's a western where normal objects turn into guns, superhuman sharpshooters create massive body counts and all the other tropes that you watch a spaghetti western for. If you don't analyze it too much like I did and you try not to think about Banjo, you'll probably come out happy.
Werewolf by Night (2022)
Marvel makes a sensational experiment
Werewolf by Night is Marvel's new tv special, and it does things the company hasn't done before.
One: It's in black and white. It's advertisements were in the style of classic horror b-movies, and while the film didn't really use that style, it was clearly inspired by those types of films, with Easter eggs to films like 'The Brain that Wouldn't Die', and scenes that, in formula and concept seem ripped straight out of a 40s horror film.
Two: It's mostly self contained. There are no references to any other Marvel films or shows. Since Moon Knight had his first appearance in an issue of the comic series this tv special is based on, many expected Steven Grant to make an appearance (myself included). But he wasn't even mentioned or referenced. While Marvel fans can expect to see Man-Thing and the Werewolf again, for now, this story stands on its own.
For fans of classic campy horror or Marvel or any cinema in general, this will be of interest. Since it's still self-contained, you don't need to see anything else to understand this. This is a unique piece of entertainment that proves Marvel isn't at its low point.
Stranger than Paradise (1983)
Stranger than Paradise: A New World
Jim jarmusch's masterpiece Stranger Than Paradise began with this short. The film is genius because it is very philosophical and has a very convincing portrayal of being bored and feeling like trash. That's the main idea of the film - the main characters are just jobless bums with very little to do. They live off of gambling (Cheating at poker and winning bets on horse races).
But despite this, director Jim Jarmusch can make scenes of people just watching tv or walking through the street pure entertainment. From watching this short, it is clear that it had to turn into a full film. Any fan of film should watch Stranger than Paradise.
Don't Hug Me I'm Scared 5 (2015)
What's that, plain white sauce? Plain white sauce makes your teeth go gray!
Perhaps the best DHMIS episode, 5 if packed with iconic characters, catchy tunes and quotable moments. This also may be the goriest. Each one has one famously bloody image, and with this one, it's the image of duck guy getting his organs pulled and eaten while he's awake. For fans of dark humor, you won't find much better than this.
In my opinion, this is the most iconic episode. Whenever I get a chance to quote it, I take it. Whenever I get a chance to rewatch it, I take it. You can watch this episode so many times and never get bored with. This episode is an example of why DHMIS is one of the greatest web series of all time.
The Beast Must Die (1974)
A movie that sets up a halloween mystery tone like no other
'The Beast Must Die' is a 1974 werewolf mystery classic, and with good reason. From start to finish, there is no shortage of fun, mystery and action. It's no masterpiece, but provides a lot of great fun and intensity for Halloween viewers to enjoy.
It takes the standard house guest murder mystery plot to a whole other level. This time, the host isn't trying to seek out a murderer, but a werewolf. This film has an ever-present sense of intensity. While it's little more than 70s action and fun, it excels in everything it sets out to do and is perfect for Halloween viewers looking for a good time.
Pochi dollari per Django (1966)
"You're looking for trouble, and I'm gonna give it to you."
The first Django sequel has very little Django in it. While the main character is mostly called Regan, he is sometimes credited as Regan/Django due to the movie's title, and the fact that the actor plays Django in many sequels. But this film is much worse than the first, because it is very cliche and there's very little interesting about it. Regan/Django lacks the cool yet intense personality he donned in the first film back when he was played by Franco Nero. It's not a terrible film, but it pales in comparison to the original and there just isn't anything memorable about it.
The film takes a standard western plot in a very boring and uninteresting direction. There are hints of entertaining moments, but they are sadly overcome by the overall mediocrity of the movie. Not worth watching unless you are a fan of Django.