Blog Archives

March 2018 WATCHLIST

3/30/2018

Comments

"Stay RAIDING, Oakland!!!"

Once upon a time in Venice
Ninja Scroll
Unlisted Owner
Boy (2010)
The Offering (2016)
Justice League (2017)
Source Code
Friday the 13th part 2
Unthinkable (2010)
Evil Dead 2
Legion
The Hateful 8
GOG 2
Casino
Blade: TRINITY
The Machinist
Pet (2016)
Heat
The Cutting Edge
Manhunter
3 Billboards outside Ebbing, MO.
Things to do in Denver when UR dead
Maudie
Cloverfield Paradox
Up in the Air
Lincoln
Bullet Head
Trouble w/ the Curve
The Outsider
I, Tonya
The Disaster Artist
Starship Troopers
Almost Friends
The Descent
Dune
The Godfather part II
In Time
Tomb Raider (2018)
True Romance
Pyewacket
Legend of the 1900
Born to be blue

Mox

Finally, got around to seeing The Disaster Artist and I, Tonya. I wish these were the two I ran to theaters to watch late last year.

I loved them; maybe because they snuck up on me, IDK, but I was prepared to fall in love with THE SHAPE OF WATER, I didn't; I was prepared to be rocked by originality and quirk with LADY BIRD, I was not.

I shared a much more emotional connection with Tonya and Vlad Tepes (or whatever his name is from DA) than I did with the charming mute girl and the under-achieving wannabe.

This year's Oscars were not as blatantly PC as the year MOONLIGHT (???) won Best Picture, but there were still some SJW picks slathered with undeserved accolades. At least the acting Oscars were on point.

Got the chance to talk with Indie filmmaker JED BRIAN, and see his awesome little-film-that-could, UNLISTED OWNER. I really liked it.

If we're going to start giving awards away just because a film is "different" and difference should be rewarded, Unlisted Owner should have a ton of palm leaves tattooing its' one-sheet.

I actually liked JUSTICE LEAGUE. When I first heard they cast a HAWAIIAN as AQUAMAN, I was like: "Great. Now we'll be known for aloha, shitty pizza, luau's, MOANA, and the most useless, colorblind, waste-of-space A-list superhero EVER."

But, on a team comprised of SUPERMAN, BATMAN, WONDER WOMAN, and THE GODDAMN FLASH... AQUAMAN was the coolest. Cheers to you, DCEU!

Saw a weird dog/action movie that was part Sandlot, part John Wick, part Amores Perros, part Reservoir Dogs that was both sappy and shoot 'em up, and I loved it.

Dogs are an easy way to make me cry, but we all go a little sad sometimes.

Finally, revisited some favs that I love:

In Time, an underrated Sci-Fi jaunt starring JT that literally wears its' theme on its' sleeve.

Legend of the 1900, where Tim Roth is at his utter best as a storied music prodigy born at sea, never to set foot on land--Snob'd, as usual, by the Academy voters.

Unthinkable, a dope psychological Horror that doesn't fake the "Monster funk" by promising you this, and delivering that; it stays focused and true in its' terrifying honesty that we are all the monster(s) we fear.

And lastly, TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE. God, I can watch this movie over and over and over. And I don't even like baseball. But, it's not really about baseball. Obviously.

DISHONORABLE MENTION: The Outsider. What a piece of pseudo-cerebral white-washed shit. It's like 2 hrs plus of all the things you never knew about the Yakuza and still don't care about. This film doesn't know what it is or what it wants to be.

You wanna see a white Yakuza movie? Watch Viggo Mortensen kill it in AMERICAN YAKUZA.

You want to see a white boy take on the spirit of bushido? Watch Tom Cruise surprisingly kill it in THE LAST SAMURAI.

You want to see a super talented white boy play a Japanese Pinochio because he doesn't understand what the director's intentions are? Watch this botched snore fest that falters between novel and painting, forgetting that it's cinema.

Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park 2
Jurassic Park 3
Pyewacket
Silent Hill
Frasier Season 7 to 8
Steel Dawn
Tomb Raider (2018)
Red Dawn (1984)
Red Dawn (2012)
Demolition Man

Ono

Just been watching Frasier, from finish to start, backwards fashion, revisiting episodes. Turns out my favorite seasons are from 8 to 11, just because Daphne and Niles are finally together.

Revisited both Red Dawn films, the original is much darker, dramatic, and emotional, while the remake is dull and uninteresting. Steel Dawn showed up in my feed on Comic-Con HQ and I expected a Road Warrior type film - got that somewhat, minus the cars.

I wanted to see the skin-pulling scene in Silent Hill again, but got much more than that - turns out the movie is much more dark and violent than I anticipated.

Not over-the-top gory, just unexpectedly violent for a video game movie. Pyewacket and Tomb Raider are new movies that turned out to be interesting and entertaining flicks.

Revisiting Jurassic Park and all the glory that is Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ian Malcolm - all 3 original films still hold up - fresh, action-packed and entertaining. LIFE FINDS A WAY. Demolition Man was on TV - in a world without guns, it'd look like San Angeles.

A utopian future could never really happen, there's always gonna be the Edgar Friendly's of the world.

Velvet Goldmine
Pet
10 Things I hate about you
Not without my daughter
Personal Best
Ghost
Bride Wars
Now you see me
Double Jeopardy
Blue Jasmine
Rock Star
That thing you do!
Almost Famous
The Shining
Stand by me
Prodigy
Shallow Hal
4/20 Massacre

Meredith

Velvet Goldmine: Phenomenal soundtrack c'mon, Jonathan Rhys Meyers in spandex! Yum.

10 Things I Hate About You - One of the best "newer" teen films and my first introduction to Heath Ledger.

Not Without My Daughter - Sally Field and Alfred Molina.

You can't get a better match to portray the true story of a mother struggling to escape Iran with there daughter and get back to the United States with limited help and no resources. It's heartbreaking.

Personal Best - I think this was how I learned what lesbianism is. And how it feels to pee standing up. Ghost - The film is just ok. Not my favorite and not horrible. But I went out drinking with Tony Goldwyn a year later, and he was SLAMMED with nasty people yelling "You killed Patrick Swayze!" We had to leave 3 bars before finding one that he could hide in a corner and not be blamed for a movie role. LOL.

Blue Jasmine - Woody Allen makes great films. That's just a fact despite what a despicable person he may be. That said, this and Point Match are my faves. Cate Blanchet is superb. Alec Baldwin, and Andrew Dice Clay - all fantastic!

Rock Star - Since I began managing the rock band, Skinharvest, this now resonates more than ever. Mark Wahlberg is a tribute band frontman who gets a shot to join the band he's been obsessed with for years...Steel Dragon. Watch how the fame and freedom change him, and not for the better.

The Shining - If this doesn't scare the crap out of you, then I don't know what will. Kubrick was a master of scare tactics.

The Shining has my favorite scene/dialogue: "Wendy...I'm not going to hurt you. You didn't let me finish...I said...I'm not going to hurt you. I'm just going to bash your brains in. I'm going to bash them right the fuck in!"

Prodigy--I screened this recently, and I was blown away. It's more of a thriller/suspense film, but the horrific trait is that the focus is on a 9 year old girl with zero remorse, emotion or human subconscious of her abilities to kill at will. This is fabulous.

Plus, I get to interview Richard Neil (plays Fonda, the child psychologist) who is a broken man himself.

Also...

A new book hit Amazon, called Texas Schlock, by Bret McCormick. He borrowed a quote from one of my reviews :)

Brawl in Cellblock 99 2017
Sleepless 2017
Passengers 2016
G.I. Jane 1997
Terminal Velocity 1994
House 1986
Phantom Of The Opera 1989
Takers 2010
Carlitos Way 1993
Black Eagle 1988
Blade Of The Immortal 2017
The Mutant Chronicles 2009
Keep Watching 2017
Rocky 2 1979
Revenge Of The Ninja 1985
The Body Tree 2015
American Ninja 1985
The Last Action Hero 1993
Murder On The Orient Express 2017
Jackals 2017
Ghost Witch 2015
The Last Action Hero 1993
Thor Ragnarok 2017
Con Air 1997
Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys
Thor Ragnarok 2017
Accident Man 2018
Assassination Tango 2003
Daddy’s Home 2 2017
Hostel 2006
Streets 1990
The Gates Of Hell 1980 aka City Of The Living Dead
Carlitos Way 1993
The Legend Of Bagger Vance 2000
Predator 1987
Nemesis 1992
The Falcon And The Snowman 1985
24 Hours To Live 2017
XXX State Of The Union 2005
Renaissance Man 1994
The Last Action Hero 1993
Pride 2014
Jumanji 2017
Walking Tall 2004
ScareHouse 2014
Night Of The Living Dead 1990
Return Of The Living Dead 1985
Vampire Circus 1971
5 Fingers Of Death 1972
Blade 1998
Sniper 2 2003
Lycan 2017
Justice League 2017
Punisher War Zone 2008
Death Wish 3 1985
Before The Devil Knows You're Dead 2007
Mission To Mars 2000
Phantasm 1979
Night Of The Demons 1987
Runaway 1984
The Falcon And The Snowman 1985
The Lost Boys 1987
Bangkok Dangerous 2008
Ninja 3 : The Domination 1984
Chain Reaction 1996
Cloak and Dagger 1984

Thomas

Hello ghastly ghouls and goblins welcome back to my decrepit monthly film watch list. This time we look back at mutilated March. My Top 9 films that I watched are as follows in No particular order as it’s too hard to decide in some instances.

I’m sure some of you will completely understand.

The Lost Boys - In 1987 when I saw this in the theatre it was fucking awesome I still feel the same about it to this day.

Big mistake when Vampires invade Santa Carla and meet the likes of the 80s duo of Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. “Death By Stereo”

Brawl in Cellbkock 99 2017 - this film was a nice surprise with Vince Vaughn as a Convict kicking ass all day, there’s hell to pay if he gets his way.

The Gates Of Hell aka City Of The Living Dead 1980 - If you kneed a great Italian Living Dead horror to watch, well Lucio Fulci has a conjuring of creepy atmosphere and brutal gory deaths to keep you asking for more.

Night Of The Living Dead 1990 - Tom Savini proved here in the Director’s chair that not all remakes are shit. Best Horror remake in my opinion.

Return of The Living Dead 1985 - Yes of course this is on my list, perfect blend of Zombies, Punk Rockers and more Zombies. A must watch for any Horror fan.

Revenge Of The Ninja 1983 - one of the greatest Ninja films to date in my opinion with Braden one of the baddest bad black Ninjas battling it to the death against Sho Kosugi.

Ninja 3:The Domination 1985 is your best bet for a Sho Kosugi film that is a great mix of Martial Arts and Horror a definite must see.

Phantasm 1979-The film that spawned sequels for nearly three decades. About an Alien body snatcher, up against the only ones that know what evil is taking over the town from Morningside Cemetery.

Cloak and Dagger 1984-I really Love this film written by Tom Holland, you know the awesome Director of Fright Night 1985.
About a young child that gets help from his make believe Hero Jack Black while on the run from thwarting Russian spies

My bottom 5 films from this month that nearly brought me ever slighter to walking into the middle of the street while asking to be slaughtered as follows.

5 Fingers Of Death 1972 - Martial Arts film that almost put me to sleep twice in one viewing. A 1970s Kung Fu is not supposed to put you to sleep.

Lycan 2017 - Werewolf film?

Mission to Mars 2000 - didn’t care for it when I received “FREE” promotional theatre screening tickets on opening. Still don’t care for it nearly 20 years later.

Bangkok Dangerous 2008 - Nick Cage as an ASSASSIN? any questions?

Keep Watching 2017 - I just wasn’t feeling it , worth a rewatch in the future, although I will more than likely rewatch all the films in my bottom 5, eventually even Mission to Mars may grow on me, who knows?

Kubo and the 2 Strings
Hunt for the Wilder People
When Marnie was there
The Wind Rises
Porco Rosso
Pyewacket

Jesus

Kubo: pretty fun simple but engaging story; cool animation style, like a 'smooth, silky' computer/claymation; really sweet animation FX moments. recommendation: three thumbs up out of four

Hunt for Wilder: this, like Taika's other films, are totally fucking enjoyable, poignant without being sappy, cutting, biting with that wry Kiwi humor.

If you like off-beat stories that are tragical and hilarious at the most inapproriate moments, then you'll have a blast with his flick. recommendation: five thumbs up out of five

When Marnie was there: a nice slow ghost mystery which has a decent meloncholy aire to it. a nice uncomplicated 'traditional' ghost story which does have heart-tugging moments. very good animation style, the usual high standard for Studio Ghibli. recommendation: three and a half thumbs up out of five

The Wind Rises: this...is a true gem; very deep philosophical and metaphysical tones and plots, really complex character arcs with hard, some times bald real-world stakes. this is taken from the biography of two real-life Japanese aeronautical engineers pre-World War Two, who saw their love of planes and flying become instruments of war. super damn flick. recommendation: five thumbs up out of five

Porco Rosso: this is a damn fun, strangely touching rollicking, humorous high-adventure in the vein of Indiana Jones...except with steampunk elements as well as magical-realism aspects. recommendation: four and a half thumbs up out of five

Zodiac
Girl on the Train (SNORE!)
Sicario
IT (2017)
From Dusk Till Dawn
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
The Big Sick
The Shape of Water
Black Panther
Daddy's Home 2
Unbreakable
Annihilation
I, Tonya
The Last Jedi
Happy Death Day
Lady Bird

Danny

Although I didn't get to watch a lot of movies this month, there were several enjoyable watches.

Although there were several movies I had already seen, almost all the new viewings were impressive.

The Big Sick, I Tonya, and Lady Bird were my favorites this month with I Tonya and Lady Bird in a brutal fist fight for my favorite (yes, even over The Shape of Water and Annihilation).

Lady Bird hits on an emotional level and is a great coming of age drama with FANTASTIC acting... But I'm going with I, Tonya as the champ. Its funny, poignant, fast paced, and a lot of fun.

Not to mention redeeming Tonya Harding, who became the most hated woman in the free world, by showing us that she was human and just trying to survive while being surrounded by the abdolute worse support structure a person can have.

The Girl on the Train was my least favorite watch. You should never start a movie with THREE DIFFERENT melodramatic narrations going on. It started off on a frustrating, confusing, and eye-roll inducing foot and it never recovered.

Comments

February 2018 WATCHLIST

3/1/2018

Comments

"Stay RAIDING, Oakland!"

Mox

Saw some good new films; revisited some old faves I haven't seen in awhile; watched some pieces of shit that made me appreciate mediocre films exponentially.

1. Garden State
2. Phantasm II
3. The Descent
4. Adaptation
5. V/H/S 2
6. The Last Shift
7. The Damned (2014)
8. Acts of Vengeance
9. Braven
10. Get a Job (2011)
11. Goodfellas
12. The Last Flag Flying
13. Dunkirk
14. Paddington (2014)
15. Ghost House (2017)
16. The Godfather
17. 3000 Miles to Graceland
18. Only the Brave
19. Erased
20. The Godfather, pt. II
21. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
22. Bad Mom Christmas
23. Kill Bill vol.2
24. Jaws
25. Tropic Thunder
26. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
27. Dead Birds
28. Little Shop of Horrors
29. See No Evil 2
30. The New Daughter
31. The Ritual (2018)
32. The Thing (1982)
33. Hellraiser: Judgment
34. Wonder
35. Finding Neverland
36. Day Breakers
37. The Town that Dreaded Sundown (2014)
38. Child's Play
39. Galaxy Quest
40. 50 First Dates
41. Deep Blue Sea
42. Mr. Brooks
43. Ghosts of Mars
44. Rear Window
45. Dear John
46. Can't Hardly Wait
47. Don't Breathe
48. The Shallows
49. Good Burger (2x)
50. The Birds (2x)
51. Roman J. Israel
52. Daddy's Home 2
53. My Little Sister
54. Zombieland
55. Lycan (2017)
56. Star Trek (2009)
57. Annihilation (2018)
58. Thor
59. Brothers (2009)

"Go. Watch. MOVIES."

Ono

My brother was in town and didn't see The Last Jedi yet, so I went a 3rd time. And we sat down to watch Blood in Blood Out cuz Vatos Locos FOREVER. The Foreigner was a disappointment. Ninja Scroll is on Hulu, can you believe that? Still the bomb. I like the action flicks so I had to revisit, Bad Boys 2,, Taken, Moon44,. Saw 3 and The blob (cuz Shawnee Smith).

Shawnee Smith

1. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
2. Barb Wire
3. Terminator 2
4. The Thing (2011)
5. Dunkirk
6. Get Out
7. Birth of a Dragon
8. Braven
9. Geostorm
10. Kite (live action)
11. The Thing (1982)
12. The Nest
13. Hellraiser
14. Taken
15. Deliver Us from Evil
16. Bad Boys 2
17. Moon44
18. Saw 3
19. Hellraiser: JUDGMENT
20. Doomsday
21. The Foreigner
22. Blood In, Blood Out
23. Aeon Flux (cartoon)
24. In the heart of the sea
25. The Last Jedi
26. Annihilation
27. The Cloverfield Paradox
28. The Blob (1986)
29. Ninja Scroll
30. Chris Rock: TAMBORINE
31. Lethal Weapon 4

"Killing with gloves on? Well, that would be like fucking with a rubber!"

Meredith

fgdfgdfgdfg

1. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
2. St. Elmo's Fire
3. The Last King of Scotland
4. Would you Rather
5. La Bamba
6. Rocky II
7. 1408
8. Without a Trace
9. (S)aint Nick
10. Some kind of Wonderful
11. Sex and the City
12. Napolean Dynamite
13. The Incantation
14. The Cloverfied Paradox
15. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
16. (500) Days of Summer
17. Little Miss Sunshine
18. I Love You, Man
19. Wonder Woman
20. The Life of David Gale
21. My Favorite Year
22. Grease

"Horror Film Fan for LIFE!"

Thomas

Welcome to my Insanity of never watching enough films, this is the first time that I have shared all the films I have watched for an entire month. I look forward to sharing my reel to reel journey monthly with you all.

I am sure that you will be familiar with many of the titles I’ve had the pleasure of seeing, hopefully I will be able to expose some rare gems from time to time. That possibly you have overlooked or never heard of.

Enjoy!

1. Invasion, USA (1985)
2. While you were Sleeping (2x)
3. The Family that Preys (2x)
4. Monty Python's "Holy Grail"
5. Excalibur (1982)
6. Clown Motel
7. Day of the Dead: Contagion (2018)
8. Sleepless (2017)
9. Hitman's Bodyguard
10. Rocky II
11. Roadhouse
12. Office Christmas Party (4x)
13. Back to the Future
14. Manhattan Baby (1982)
15. The Beast must Die
16. Carlito's Way
17. Creepshow
18. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
19. Die Hard with a Vengeance
20. The Legend of Baggar Vance
21. Unknown (2011)
22. Maniac Cop
23. Medea's Family Reunion
24. Leviathan (the GOOD one)
25. Devil's Nightmare (1971)
26. Witchery (1988)
27. The Ghost Galleon
28. Encino Man
29. Never Die Alone
30. Weird Science
31. The Hidden (1987)
32. Jaws
33. Pineapple Express
34. Bridesmaids
35. Con Air
36. My Bloody Valentine (1981)
37. Bullet Head (2017)
38. WitchTown (2018)
39. American Outlaws (2001)
40. Red Dawn (1984)
41. The Matrix
42. Hell or High Water (2016)
43. Night of the Living Dead (1990)
44. Revenge of the Living Dead (1983)
45. Matrix Reloaded
46. Matrix Revolutions
47. Hard to Kill
48. Total Recall (1990)
49. Young Guns
50. Young Guns 2
51. Unlawful Entry (1992)
52. Red Heat
53. The Foreigner (2017)
54. Hellraiser: Judgment
55. Terror in the Aisles (1983)
56. Extreme Prejudice (1987)
57. Death Valley (1992)
58. Johnny Pneumonic
59. Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins
60. Death Line (1972)
61. Cloak and Dagger (1984)

"Indiana Jones meets Lucifer, American Gods, Naked Lunch & Dark City."

Jesus

It is not only the personable, highly relatable principle cast which are deeply engaging to (and for the viewer), but how effortlessly they make various sciences very approachable to the general public. That and the fun, hilarious banter between all concerned. Visit the show for the historical and archaeological interest; stay for the very wonderfully filmed episodes, continue returning for the very unique characters.

1. Time Team
2. Knowledge Hub
3. Peaky Blinders
4. Vikings
5. Timeline: World History Docs
6. All themed Docs
7. History with Hilbert
8. AlternateHistory Hub

"Inspiring Madness since 1985."

Danny

Mr. Brooks was the real stand out for me this month. I had never seen it before and thought it took some creative risks that, for the most part, really paid off. Cloverfield Paradox and The Ritual were the biggest disappointments; I can’t remember the last time I saw a “Netflix Original” movie that didn’t disappoint. They should really start to favor quality over quantity.

1. Murder on the Orient Express
2. Predator
3. Predator 2
4. Aliens vs Predator
5. Groundhog Day
6. Escape from L.A.
7. Mr. Brooks
8. They Live
9. Spiderman: Homecoming
10. The Cloverfield Paradox
11. Mimic
12. Child's Play
13. Child's Play 2
14. Child's Play 3
15. RIFFTRAX PRESENTS: Silent Rage
16. Beautiful Girls
17. Get Out
18. Bio-Dome
19. The Disaster Artist
20. Friday the 13th part 2
21. The Ritual

Comments

Cenowrites

March 2018 WATCHLIST

Mox

Ono

Meredith

Thomas

Jesus

Danny

February 2018 WATCHLIST

Mox

Ono

Meredith

Thomas

Jesus

Danny

CenoWrites

Archives

Categories