![]() With the arrival of summer, I thought I'd take a look at some of the great blockbusters of the past. For any real movie fan, there really is no better place to start than with the one that pretty much started it all. 'Jaws' is, without a doubt, one of the all-time greatest movies ever made for so many reasons. This is a title that doesn't necessarily land on my favourites list, but it also clearly deserves all the credit it gets when you really think about it. Being the first big summer blockbuster is only the beginning. Based on Peter Benchley's book of the same name, the film portrays a great white shark who attacks the casual swimmers of a beach community. It starts with a skinny-dipper named Chrissie Watkins (Susan Backlinie) and events continue to unfold as long as a stubborn mayor, Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) decides to keep the beach open for tourism and economical purposes. Police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider), working with oceanographer, Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfus) disagrees with the decision, especially with his wife, Ellen (Lorraine Gary) and son, Michael (Chris Rebello) to look out for. He is overruled, however, but puts a bounty of $10,000 on the shark, causing the townspeople to take on shark-hunting. The hunt is believed to be ultimately successful, but Hooper knows the shark is still out there, as the captured shark simply doesn't have the right jaw span to match the killer shark's victims. This is proven soon enough with yet another big beach attack. Ultimately, it all leads to the real meat of the movie in just short of its second half. This involves Brody, Hooper, and badass shark-hunter, Quint (Robert Shaw) going for the great white shark hunt of their lives to end the shark's reign of terror once and for all (despite a few cash-grab sequels that follow). Of the films in the 'Jaws' series, this is really the only one that holds and "classic" value, unless you're looking for some crazy amount of cheese-tastic special effects to laugh at. I think the most important takeaway from this is how much influence it has had on other movies. When you take 'Halloween' for example, there's something very Jaws-like about Michael Myers. In fact, 2018's 'Halloween' quoted 'Jaws' for being its most heavy influence. There's even things like Quint's speech about looking into a shark's eyes that's very reminiscent of Loomis' take on Michael Myers. It has influenced many others as far as summer blockbusters go too, and directors like Kevin Smith have a hell of a lot of fun with it (look for 'Jaws' references in almost all his movies. To top it all off, it's a favourite for many fans as well as a favourite for many filmmakers, who take it as their big influence. Another solid thing to note here is that it's a fine example of how sometimes a seemingly catastrophic failure can be one hell of a happy accident. The story goes that there were big problems with the mechanical shark, so it became a seldom seen thing throughout the movie. As it turns out, our imaginations were able to do a good job at filling in the blanks, making things even more thrilling. This is a classic example of how less is more, and the fact that sometimes we really don't need to be spoon-fed everything. The shark shows up just enough to be scary, but its before the shark shows up that has us on the edge of our seats. Who can possibly forget the masterfully suspenseful "dun-un" theme that perfectly symbolizes the killer shark's approach. Again, less is more. There's not a whole hell of a lot more I can say about 'Jaws' that hasn't been said in the past, though, so let's break it down to personal opinion. 'Jaws' is something I whole-heartedly respect, and certainly enjoy to some degree. For me, however, it has always been more of a piece of history than a cinematic favourite. I absolutely love pretty much everything here that involves the three leads, but the first half of the movie is something that has very busy (albeit very natural) dialogue, and it can get a bit messy. On the whole, this is great, but for me, it doesn't even hit my Top 10. It's one of those titles I can recommend to anyone as a cinematic legend, but newcomers might have trouble with some of it. Either way, this one has its place in the history books, and it's definitely worth checking out!
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![]() Although this month takes a look at some of the titles I personally consider "essential Schwarzenegger" titles, I do heavily consider this particular title to be the one and only king of them. I would say 'True Lies' is my favorite, but if you want full Arnold, this is definitely the place to go. To put it another way, I'm fairly convinced this was the movie that really inspired the Rainier Wolfcastle character on 'The Simpsons'. Yes, he was obviously based on Arnold, but I think it's this particular Arnold they were going for. For a quick plot synopsis, we open the film, and are eventually introduced to former Colonel John Matrix (Schwarzenegger). He is living a happy, retired life with his daughter, Jenny (Alyssa Milano). It's interrupted quickly, however, when his former superior Major General Franklin Kirby (James Olson) informs him that the members of his former unit have been killed by unknown mercenaries. Said mercs raid John's home and kidnap Jenny, lead by Bennett (Vernon Wells); an ex-member of John's team that was discharged for excessive violence. John is eventually overpowered and captured, but this ends up being a big mistake. With his daughter's life on the line, John Matrix eventually manages to escape, and enlist the help of random off-duty flight attendant named Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong). Now John will stop at nothing to rescue his daughter, and put an end to Bennett and his henchmen. So basically what we have here is a no holds barred revenge plot involving the biggest action hero of the 80s in his prime. If someone was to ask me who Schwarzenegger is, I would tell them watch 'Commando', as I find it to be the quintessential Schwarzenegger movie. If we think of him in a stereotypical light, I'd say this is the role that really shows it. He's muscle-bound, powerful, full of guns and ammo, shoots but never gets shot, he's got the accent, and above all else, some of the best one-liners of his career. That alone is what makes this movie so damn fun. it's not just a stereotype of an Arnie flick, it's a stereotype of an early action movie. It's got to be within the top 10, or maybe even top 5 action flicks of the 80s, and with good reason. This isn't something that keeps you on the edge of your seat so much as it makes you laugh along with it as well as cheer him on. It's cheesy, but it's what 80s action movies were all about. It would be fairly easy for someone to be new to this today and find that it hasn't aged well - but one should also know that's what makes it so good. In many ways, it captures the cheesy awesomeness that was 1980s action. Things were off the wall and dammit, we liked it like that. These are the same reasons I appreciate franchises like 'Fast & Furious' nowadays - yes, it's ridiculous, but sometimes reality isn't really asked for in these types of flicks. There's insulting the audience, but then there's just having fun with them, and that's what this does so incredibly well. It's an era of filmmaking I think a lot of us miss. They can get away with it now, sure, but it's not quite as tolerated as it used to be. This kind of thing, along with a lot of the corny 80s slashers, was just something to lose our minds and eat popcorn to. Well, it's a short review, but there's not much more to say about it than what I keep saying about it already. It's just awesome, mindless fun, and a good laugh. If you're on the lookout for almost definitive films of the 80s, I would highly recommend this title as a place to turn. It is pure Schwarzenegger through and through, and the man might as well have been a golden statue back in the 80s representing the action genre. If that statue had to hold the film that best represented him, this would be my pick. ![]() While 'Halloween' is often toted as the start of the slasher genre, I prefer to think of it as the film that got things going. Before that, you had movies like 'Black Christmas', but 'Halloween' just had a strength to it. Perhaps the strength mostly comes from casting Jamie Lee Curtis in the lead role; daughter of Janet Lee, featured here in one of the most famous movie moments of all time - the shower stab, with the "ree-ree-ree" music! This film is a milestone in horror, technically being the first big slasher movie. It's brought to us by the master of suspense, himself, Alfred Hitchcock, and it honestly still holds up to this day. Certain things have tried to duplicate it, like an awful 1998 remake, and a much better TV series in 2013, but no matter how they try, nothing can quite grasp the feeling of the classic 1960 film, where it all began. It all opens with real-estate secretary, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (John Gavin), providing us with yet another tie to 'Halloween'. They are talking about marriage and the unaffordability of it with Sam's debts. Some time after, Marion is left a $40,000 cash payment on a property. Instead of bringing it to the bank to deposit it, she instead takes the money and runs, headed to Sam's house in Fairvale, CA. On the way, she is caught in a rainstorm, misses her turn, and ends up at the Bates Motel. There, she is greeted by Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) who gives her a room for the night. It's Norman Bates' character that really makes this movie shine, as even today, there's something terribly unsettling about him. He plays the role so well, as a bashful, almost boy-like man who just plain gives you that bad vibe. The only other actor I can think of who delivers the subtle horror of a serial killer while being polite is probably Anthony Hopkins from 'Silence of the Lambs', although I'm sure there are other examples between the two films. The two have a conversation where things intensify, and it all leads to that famous shower scene, killing off a main character only about half way through the film. To this day, that scene is intense, especially when the music stops, everything is still, and you see the bloody water pour down the drain. It's as though the film says "I'm not playing around here." The latter half of the film involves Marion's sister, Lila, coming into the picture. Together with Sam and a private investigator, Milton Arborgast (Martin Balsam), they all try to get down to the bottom of why Marion has disappeared without a trace. Meanwhile, Norman Bates tries to cover his tracks while dealing with his overprotective and strict "mother". I think by this point we all pretty well know the big twist there, but when I first saw this years and years ago and new nothing about it other than the shower scene existing (I was still in elementary school, I think), it did manage to catch me off guard. In a time when I thought black and white equaled boring, this was one movie that came along and showed me otherwise. Over the years and after a fair bit of re-watching, it has become a personal favorite piece of cinematic art from the 60s. With franchises like 'Halloween', 'Friday the 13th' and 'Elm Street', I wonder where those would be now if 'Psycho' didn't plant the seed. I strongly consider this film to be the Grandfather of slasher horror ('Halloween' is the father). It is just plain legendary, and held high in my opinion as perhaps the quintessential Hitchcock movie. If you haven't seen this, you haven't seen wat Hitchcock was capable of - like making Janet Leigh terrified of ever showering again. ![]() As Jacked Up June continues, I thought I'd bring up a title that doesn't seem to get talked about much anymore. Although Jack is a bit more of a side character, with nominations for Best "Supporting" Actor here, it's one of his scarier portrayals of a character since playing Jack Torrence in 'The Shining'. He actually kinda steals the show when he is on screen, and that's saying a lot considering the other performances in the film. When a Private is attacked by two other marines and eventually declared dead while in hospital, an investigation is conducted by Lt. Commander Jo Galloway (Demi Moore). She believes the attack ensued on account of the Private potentially going over the head of Base Commander, Col. Jessup (Jack Nicholson), threatening to reveal something terrible, and requesting a transfer She believes it to be a possible "Code Red"; a type of illegal hazing brought at the request of Jessup. Galloway's superiors deny her the case, but soon recruit Naval lawyer Lt. Dan Kaffee (Tom Cruise), who would sooner plea his cases out than defend the two Marines involved. This leads Galloway to warn him that if he plea bargains, it will ultimately lead to Jessup getting away with murder. He decide against his usual approach, but he's missing one crucial piece of evidence - undeniable proof that Jessup gave the order. This is one of those intense court room dramas, with great performances all around. It may be one of few movies where Jack can almost be matched by the comedic, but serious Tom Cruise, or the by-the-book character of Galloway, portrayed by Demi Moore. I'm not usually one for court room dramas, often finding them a little complex for my taste, but this one has great balance to it, allowing you to breath between takes of Jack, who excels here at making the audience uncomfortable - in a good way. 'Batman' fans know he makes a great villain, but this is when his portrayal of a villain is serious, and it even gets a bit scary at points. Nominated for four Oscars that year, it unfortunately lost all; three of them to 'Unforgiven'. It suffered a similar all-out loss at the Golden Globes, with five nominations. With that, I would definitely consider this a somewhat underrated classic. It doesn't even make IMDb's Top 250. Of course, it's not without a few bumps. While I maintain that there are great performances all around, there are bits and pieces that could be considered scenes of overacting. But to me, that's about where it ends, and even that's a very minor detail. My final opinion is simple. I think it's a solid and suspenseful story all the way though, and it really doesn't take much to get into it, especially when you see some of the somewhat surprising roles these players take on. If you haven't seen it yet, just know that it's a prime example of a classic, early 90's title, back when not everything needed effects to reel in an audience, and the art lied much more in the acting. ![]() You gotta love Scorsese's work. If there's one thing you can say about it, it's that he's got range. He has given us just about everything ranging from family friendly adventures ('Hugo') all the way to intense thrillers such as 'Shutter Island'. As far as all the in-between, just look at his IMDb page, as I could be here all day listing off his wonderful work. 'Shutter Island' is Scorsese's take on a pyschological thriller, all while maintaining that crime-related story he's so well-known for. It's just that in this case, it's a creepy mental institution on an island as opposed to, say, the familiar streets of New York. some of the main draws to this film are among the many names attached to the project. Aside from director Scorsese, it's also helmed by the talents of Leo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley, with great side roles for names like Max von Sydow, Michelle Williams and Jackie Earle Haley. So it's pretty star-studded, and that's not even mentioning a few more perfectly recognizable faces. One might not place this at the top of their Scorsese list, but I can say with all honesty that it's well worth a watch. You just have to sort of ditch the idea of it being a typical Scorsese film. This is one that seemed a little more experimental, teetering on light horror. For a real quick plot breakdown, things open up in 1954, where U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and his new partner, Chuck (Ruffalo) have been assigned to investigate the disappearance of a potentially very dangerous patient. The assignment takes place on Shutter Island, where the US government runs an institution for the criminally insane. Based on his own past experiences, Daniels soon becomes weary that the institution may be doing some pretty abysmal stuff behind closed doors. The film takes a few twists and turns, and keeps you guessing as to what the outcome might be. Is the government facility corrupt? What really is going on with certain prisoners? Is there more than meets the eye to the institution, or less? With all this guess work, though, I might recommend that you don't bother with the trailer before heading into it. It doesn't happen often for me, but this was one case where the trailer showed me everything I needed to know to call its ending. So upon seeing it the first time, I can say I was a bit disappointed. But with that said, it's still a perfectly solid film with a dark and imaginative atmosphere. If you're not into all the gangster related material Scorsese cranks out, this is a cool change of pace that shows us how dark and mysterious he can get. On the other hand, if you really like typical Scorsese material, this could easily be seen as a little too different for your taste. Here, he plays with things like horror elements and makes sure everything atmospherically dreary and dark. Even through the day, it's all clouds and storms. It's safe to say that the overall feeling of the film matches the poster perfectly. On top of that, the performances and dialogue are all great, and it's a neat one to go back and watch now when some faces may be more recognizable. It may not be Scorsese's crowning achievement, but considering his filmography, that's not a stretch either. It's still a really good flick. ![]() Back in February of 1991, this film was released to mass praise from audiences and critics alike. It struck a chord with audiences as a very intense thriller that borders on horror (much like 'Seven', which would come later, and owe a lot to this film). Meanwhile critics couldn't deny how good it was with its twists, turns, atmosphere and incredible acting. It went on to receive 7 Oscar nominations, winning 5, including Best Picture, Director, Lead Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Lead Actress (Jodie Foster) and Adapted Screenplay - a clean sweep of the top 5 categories, which, at the time, had only gone to a couple of dramas in the past; 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' ('75) and 'It Happened One Night' ('38). This was unprecedented for a movie of this type, as most fans ultimately consider it a horror movie of sorts. So what gave such a twisted movie such praise? The film opens up with FBI trainee, Clarice Starling (Foster) as we see her tackling an obstacle course in a creepy forest, giving us a nice visual portrayal of her character without saying a damn thing. You can tell from the get-go that she's independent, tenacious, and on-guard, but knows she can hold her own. This and the fact that she doesn't spook easily are pretty much cemented when she is assigned to a particularly creepy project. She is assigned to interview former psychologist and cannibalistic killer, Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins) to try to get into the mind of an on-the-loose killer known as "Buffalo Bill" (Ted Levine). Bill has been going around, abducting young women, and cutting the skin off their bodies. Much like Leatherface of 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre', he is also based on real-life serial killer Ed Gein. Anyway, FBI Special Agent Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) believes that Lecter will be able to divulge information about Bill that will help the FBI track him down and capture him. The catch to these interviews is that Lecter often ends up playing mind games with Clarice, having her divulge some of her personal life information in exchange for information that may lead to Bill. This makes for some of the more intense moments of the film, and it's easy to see in both Hopkins and Fosters cases why the won those acting awards. Hopkins showed an incredibly dark but sophisticated side, pretty much forever turning Hopkins into Hannibal the same way Robert Downey Jr. is basically just Iron Man now by default. Foster on the other hand gave horror/thriller fans another strong female protagonist, strong for her mind and determination more than anything else. Foster's character was somewhat refreshing in that sense. My humble opinion is that she's probably the best female protagonist since 'Alien' (but that's perfectly debatable). Even by today's standards, one can't really deny that she's well-established in the hall of fame for best female protagonists. This is one of those movies that I would recommend to anyone who's a fan of horror, thrillers and intense murder mysteries, as this is a sort of crown jewel. Horror fans see it as being an immense leap forward, and Hannibal Lecter is widely considered one of the best villains out there, let alone horror villains. On the other hand, if you're a fan of crime thrillers, and looking for something a little more intense, this is a great watch. Even if you know all that happens without seeing it, you should still give it a look, because there's more than just good story and acting here. The film was further nominated for Best Sound and Film Editing, and it really shows. But it could easily further qualify for categories like Original Score with its ominous overtones; Cinematography, as the overall atmosphere of this film is so genuinely dark and creepy; Production Design based on the asylum scenes alone. This really is a gem of a film overall, and it lends itself to multiple viewings based more on its entertainment value than the idea of looking for clues. If you haven't checked it out yet, give it a shot. Just be weary that some of the asylum scenes can be a little intense if you're sensitive. ![]() It's unfortunate that this movie has had its ending spoiled to the point of it not being a spoiler anymore. Pretty much everyone knows how it ends by now. Some may have seen it coming (or so they say), but luckily for myself, I was one of many who was kinda blown away, and definitely had to re-watch it. The first time around was a great ride that left you questioning the mistakes the movie must have made. The second time is almost better, though, as you realize the writing is pretty damn tight. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is a child psychologist who, through a bad experience with one of his patients, finds himself wanting to do right by helping a troubled boy, Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment). In a side story, Malcolm also gets so caught up in his work that he starts to have trouble with his wife, Anna (Olivia Williams), who seems overlooked. Cole lives his life in fear, both of the bullies at school, and of his deep dark secret; he sees dead people. He keeps this from everyone, including his mother (Toni Collette), leading the kids at school to dub him a "freak", and his mother to genuinely worry about him. But being that his secret seems so outlandish, he keeps it to himself, confiding in Dr. Crowe to help him through his fears and find some sort of solution. Going back to the watchability of it, a lot of people will probably pass this off as something you see two or three times to pick up on things that lead to the twist, but then put it down because it just doesn't have that impact anymore. However, I still deem this perfectly watchable for multiple sittings, as the film represents so much more than one of Hollywood's greatest movie twists of all time. Potential spoilers ahead, but as I mentioned before... can this even be spoiled anymore, today? If you look at Cole's situation, his big lesson is that he eventually has to face his fears, whether he wants to or not. These ghosts can really represent anything the viewer may fear, but must face. It could be a surgery you have to go through, a place you have to move to for work, or a final test you have to take to graduate. I find this movie to mostly be about facing your fears head on, and it's no coincidence that I really started to take to horror movies right after watching this. On the other side of things, you have Dr. Crowe. My big takeaway from his side of things is also pretty simple, and that's to do what you need to do before you pass on. Part of that lies in helping Cole, allowing him to forgive himself for failing his previous patient (the same one he had trouble with at the beginning of this review). But part of it is also to do with his wife, and just getting that time in with your spouse while you can. So, even though this one is 20 years old now, and everyone knows how it ends, it still ends up going on my list of film recommendations as a lot of the writing cleverly brings out other aspects of the world around us, and how we deal with it as individuals. This film is absolutely Shyamalan at his best, so if you wanna check out any of his movies, this is like the 'Empire Strikes Back' of his collection - complete with spoiler you probably already know going into it. ![]() For our first title of suspense, I thought I'd take a look back to one of my first little toe-dips in the macabre. I rented this one with a friend when I was around the age of 13, once it was released on video. At this point in my life, a lot disturbed me, but for some reason I really wanted to see this movie. I did NOT do horror back then, but for me, this just kinda teetered on what I considered horrific. 'Seven' actually marks a pretty big jump in personal growth for me, as the first film I wanted to see, knowing that I might get freaked out by it. I did watch 'Freddy's Dead' a few years prior, but the choice to watch that was based on peer pressure. This had the premise of using the Seven Deadly Sins in its plot, which morbidly interested me. It made me finally want to take a peek behind the veil of morbid curiosity. This one features two homicide detectives; Somerset (Morgan Freeman) is on the edge of retirement, and Mills (Brad Pitt) who strangely transfers to the film's setting - a dark, bleak, unnamed city that is a perfect reflection of the dark subject matter of the film. Together, they work on tracking down a serial killer who only goes by John Doe (Kevin Spacey) whose M.O. is to use the Seven Deadly Sins against his victims. One by one, Doe's victims are tortured and killed in some truly gruesome and memorable ways. The kills are done off-screen, and all we really see is a variety of silhouettes and shadows, pretty much always faceless. Yet the memory of what you don't see, and how horrible it must actually look, really sticks with you. It's something I'd use as a prime example of less being more. The Sloth victim was a touch of nightmare fuel at the time, and we get to see a lot of him... but he's still kinda faceless. Maybe I'm reading too deeply into it, but I find keeping the victims faceless lends itself to allowing the audience to take a look at themselves. Could they have been one of John Doe's victims in this situation? It's very impressive film making from director David Fincher, who we now probably know best for 'The Social Network' and 'Fight Club'. Fincher excels in the gritty, and this film is absolutely no exception. It's the kind of film I'd say you might feel like you need a shower after watching. In some ways, this is a lot like the 'Saw' movies, but without the torture porn aspect. Instead of seeing the torture, we imagine the torture - again, so much more potent. A lot of themes are similar as well, having to do with self-reflection. If you're watching this, knowing nothing about it, it'll probably make you think. Fair warning though, the ending is not a happy one! ![]() I tend to find for the most part that director Michael Bay is very hit or miss with audiences and critics alike. He embodies a hell of a lot of, what we could call, "dude porn" stereotypes. This is car chases, explosions, gunfire, women in skimpy clothing, the list goes on. For my money, this one represents Michael Bay at his best, embodying all of these stereotypes, but giving us a pretty interesting story all the same. In other words, it's not just noise. A disillusioned war General, Francis Hummel (Ed Harris), and a few of his followers, plan to unleash a deadly chemical on the city of San Francisco. They set up shop when they take over the famous Alcatraz prison - famous for being inescapable. Their demands are for $100 Million in reparations to the families of his fallen army companions, or they otherwise launch nerve gas over the city. Meanwhile, FBI chemist, Stanley Goodspeed (Nicholas Cage) is called in to team up with John Patrick Mason (Sean Connery), a former Alcatraz inmate, known as the only person to successfully escape the inescapable prison, and has since had his identity swept under the rug. They must break into the prison with their combined expertise, and put a stop to Hummel's plans, and hopefully escape with their lives. The film has all the proper Bay-isms that you'll be looking for, so any action buffs out there won't be too disappointed. But it adds some flavor to his usual, with the lovingly crazy Nicholas Cage (who's actually kinda toned down here from his usual), and the just plain awesome and we all know it, Sean Connery - the original James Bond, himself. Truth be told, growing up, this was probably only the second thing I had seen Connery in, first knowing him as the little old man who was Indiana Jones' father. So I was pleasantly surprised at his badassery here. This is a good example of why I kind of enjoy Michael Bay. I get the same fun, popcorn action movie feeling I do from this than I do with the 'Bad Boys' movies, or to a lesser extent *cough* 'Armageddon' (go ahead and put that one with my guilty pleasures). There's still a few I haven't seen yet, but I feel that for the most part, Bay fails when he's trying to adapt something. If he can do something no one is familiar with, and make it his own, you can have a fun time with it. In my eyes, he's the last of a generation, and the torch has kinda been passed to... I dunno, Chad Stahelski ('John Wick')? This is another one that's just a lot of fun to put on if you want a taste of intense action, but with a villain you might be able to relate to. It's always interesting to come to an understanding as to why the bad guy is doing what he's doing. It's always very refreshing when films veer away from the scenarios of "because I can", and "I must rule this place" (not that I don't enjoy 'Batman' villains). Ed Harris does a great job here, and between the three lead actors, he's almost the most human aspect of the whole story. So, if you're in search of some good action from the 90's, with a few Cage-isms here, or a few Connery accents there, this one's for you. When you think Michael Bay, you think of a lot of things, but somehow this one manages to fit all of his cliches in a nice little package, and I find it quite possibly his best work next to the 'Bad Boys' movies. Give it a whirl, you might just have a fun ride. ![]() I figured I'd start 90's Action Month with one of the first of the decade. 'Total Recall' is a hard film to overlook in several categories, ranging from action to sci-fi, and from fantasy to thriller. It covers so much ground, and it has its place in the cinematic history books as an action epic that is widely considered one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's best (which is saying a lot, 'cause there are so many awesome Schwarzenegger films out there). 'Total Recall',based on the Phillip K. Dick short story, 'We Can Remember It for You Wholesale', profiles Douglas Quaid (Schwarzenegger) - an Earthbound construction worker. He has constant dreams of Mars, and a mysterious woman, and it's kinda getting in the way of life. He decides to check out a place called "Rekall", who implant fake memories of great experiences, such as vacations to Mars. During the experience, something goes wrong, and he suddenly remembers fighting as a secret agent, against Mars administrator, Cohaagen (Ronny Cox). Quaid soon finds that his entire life until this point may very well be a false memory, and that the people who implanted it, lead by a man named Richter (Michael Ironside), are now on the hunt for him. With the help of the lovely Milena (Rachel Ticotin), a plethora of Mars-dwelling, mutants and some unexpected characters, Quaid fights to thwart Cohaagen's dark plans, and figure out who he really is along the way. As I mentioned before, the film stands out as a multi-genre hit, mostly leaning towards sci-fi action. This makes it a hell of a lot of fun for the whole ride, as they even give us some mild horror and comedy elements. Some of the practical effects here are downright uncomfortable (pulling out a tracking beacon from a nostril, gasping for oxygen with your eyes and tongue bulging out), but they're downright memorable. They're just another example of the practical outdoing CGI. It might look silly and fake, but dammit, you just would't get that creepy, Muppet-like terror face from Arnold if this was CG. Also, who could possibly forget the ever-famous three-boobed mutant prostitute, Mary (Lycia Naff)? I also mentioned comedy elements, but I do use that somewhat loosely. There are a few mild jokes here and there, sure, but the humor really comes from the overall fun of the movie. There's a lot here we can look back on and laugh at as memorable moments, not the least of which is the struggling Arnold face, which is used quite frequently here. It's also a good one for a few of his famous one-liners, perhaps the best being "screw you!". I won't tell you why it's probably the best, but in context, you'll roll your eyes, but you'll know. I believe that this was the launch of a mild stereotype of Schwarzenegger movies - him trying to figure out his identity. 'MadTV' did a whole thing on it. The only difference being that here, we can see it as being an original concept, at least as far as Arnold playing the lead. He was a little older for movies like 'Eraser' and 'The 6th Day', so this one also takes place during his hayday, which, for my money, ranges from 'Conan the Barbarian' ('82) to 'True Lies' ('94). After that, we got 'Junior', and he started to wane quite significantly. But we still loved him. I'd have to say, as far as recommending this as a good Schwarzenegger film, this would probably at least make my Top 5. It'd be high on the list, too. Even aside from Arnold, there's so much fun going on here. We get awesome practical effects, a great variety of characters, an interesting concept overall, and an ending that is still a personal favorite as far as open-ended endings go. Not everyone likes that, but I admit that I do like to decide for myself how things turn out. Regardless, this is one I'd consider (and I know I'm not alone on this) a staple of Schwarzenegger action films - a must see, if you're going back to check out what he was all about in his prime. ![]() So, of course we know that this series has gone on for a while. Likely, it's finally over, since '5' was released back in 2011. It, much like 'Saw' or 'Paranormal Activity', became something audiences kinda got tired of. There's only so many ways you can do it. That said, I highly recommend the bookends of the series, 'Final Destination' and 'Final Destination 5'. The first movie features a group of high school students, getting ready to go on a trip overseas to Paris, France. Before the plane takes off, Alex Browning (Devon Sawa) has a precognitive dream, showing the plane that they're on exploding, killing everyone on board. He causes a scene, is dragged off the plane with a select few others, and sure enough, they witness the plane explode from the ground. As the movie goes on, we basically discover that death isn't something that can be cheated, and one by one, in order, these guys get theirs in different and creative ways. All the while, Alex and his new friend Clear Rivers (Ali Larter) seem to be the only ones who fully understand that they all need to be on their toes in order to dodge death - thus making it pretty thrilling and suspenseful. This whole idea was great at the time (I'm going against most critics on this one), but it was soon followed by the exact same deal with a massive traffic collision in 2, a broken down rollercoaster in 3, a race car crash in 4 (entitled 'The Final Destination') and a suspension bridge in 5. As mentioned before, it pretty much just got old and stale, at least until 5. What sets 5 apart from the others is that it's generally self-aware, and gets very creative with its kills. For example, a gymnast who you're 100% convinced is gonna get horribly electrocuted just straight up lands stupidly and breaks her neck. By far, it's the best of the series. However, I had the need to start with the first one 'cause, well, it's just the first one. I'd almost go so far as to say you could watch 1 and 5, not be terribly lost on anything, and get the most from the experience. I'm not sure this one quite plays on fears of death as much as something like 'Arachnophobia' plays on fears of spiders. But I will say that it keeps you on the edge of your seat, especially fully knowing that no one is safe at all. Hell, it even ends on that not so friendly reminder. So, if you're looking for a fun classic thriller, definitely check it out. I find it doesn't quite get the credit it deserves, and I mostly blame the sequels for wearing it thin. But again, 5 is pretty much just awesome. So check those out (along with the in-betweens if you feel so inclined) and see for yourself where you stand on these films. Opinions are generally split down the middle on these, but for myself, I'd say they're kinda the 'Saw' or 'Paranormal Activity' of the early 2000s - some good titles, some terrible titles. ![]() So here's the thing about 'Buried'. One has to be willing to accept, before going into this movie, that visually, you're gonna be looking at Ryan Reynolds in a box for an hour and a half. That's quite literally the movie, in a nutshell, made to feast on the fears of the worst claustrophobes. Paul (Reynolds) is an American truck driver, working in Iraq, who gets attacked by Iraquis. He wakes up inside a wooden box with nothing but a cell phone and a lighter, and the premise of the movie is essentially him trying to get the hell out of this predicament. This film serves as a primary example of a great movie with a great story, using very little for a budget. In fact, I'm willing to bet that most of it's budget went towards getting Ryan Reynolds to play the lead role. So, if it's just Ryan Reynolds in a box of an hour and a half, how can this possibly be good in any way? Well, as the story unfolds, the tension builds, and we really start to feel the panic in Paul's mind. The movie sort of tosses things back and forth, giving us relief one minute, followed by hopelessness the next. It does a fantastic job at playing with our fears. I don't particularly consider myself to be claustrophobic, but the way this movie is filmed did cause a certain sense of dread in me. I can honestly say that it came damn close to making it so - in which case I should probably say that if you ARE claustrophobic, proceed with caution if you wanna check this one out. If nothing else though, as mentioned before, it's a testament to unique film making, using very little budget. It's basically, in my eyes, living proof that story over substance is far more important. There's a great amount if intensity throughout the film, and it really shows off Reynold's acting skills, for which he was nominated a Saturn that year. So, if for some reason you're looking for a unique film that inspires dread and disturbance in your core, 'Buried' is a title I'd highly recommend. I know it makes me feel very uneasy, yet positively engaged all at the same time. It's almost the perfect thriller. That is, of course, if you can handle the thriller being Ryan Reynolds in a box for an hour and a half. ![]() We're all afraid of something. I mean, you can sit there and tell me how much you're afraid of nothing, but I feel if one digs deep enough, some kind of fear will be brought up, from the big one of death, to the little ones like spiders. And that brings me to my first suggestion for what I am dubbing "Fear Month", with what is arguably the best spider-related movie ever (and no, none of the 'Spider-Man' movies count). This is generally followed by 'Eight-Legged Freaks', and whatever other movies feature spiders as something to be afraid of. Arachnophobia, the fear of spiders, is a very common one among people, and this film does a great job of exploiting that fear by keeping things relatively realistic. It's even mentioned throughout the film that, despite these fears, spiders are pretty much completely non-fatal when it comes to human beings, with the exception of maybe the black widow on a small child, or elderly and ill. This movie, smartly, makes it so all our worst fears about spiders become a reality. It all starts when a deadly spider finds its way to the small town of Canaima, California after an expedition to South America. It breeds with a common domestic spider, creating something tiny, but monstrous, in a whole new breed of arachnid that starts taking out not just insects and small animals, but people, in a gruesome fashion. I've always considered this one to be a great film for horror beginners. Not quite as traumatizing as something that's full tilt horror, but creepy enough to sort of leave you on edge after you're done watching it. That is, of course, unless you're already very arachnophobic and just know it's a movie you can't sit through anyway (I actually know a few people who refuse to watch this movie because of their fears). This would also be a bit of an example of horror comedy, but leaning more towards the horror. It does a great job at exploiting these fears, but at the same time adds some light humor with some of the dialogue, and the presence of John Goodman playing a sort of dopey but lovable exterminator. Speaking for myself, I can tolerate the presence of spiders quite well, so this movie doesn't particularly get to me in a big way. But if you are afraid of spiders and want a good adrenaline rush based on your fears (some choose roller coasters, I choose horror movies), it's definitely worth checking out. Whether you suffer from arachnophobia or not though, after a viewing of this one, You might just be hard-pressed going to bed after watching it without thinking of something 8-legged and fuzzy crawling up your leg. ![]() So, remember last week when I said if you still didn't like Michael Cera's acting after 'Scott Pilgrim vs The World' to "tune in next week" so to speak? Well, I'll get to that soon enough, as it's just one part of what makes 'This Is the End' so funny. In short, we're looking at the "Apatow group" (for lack of a better name) all playing themselves, and showing us just how well (or not well) they might deal with an apocalypse in the biblical sense (demons running around, hell freezing over, etc.) It all starts when Jay Baruchel flies in to visit Seth Rogen. They end up going over to James Franco's house for a party, and the end of days quickly ensues. Perhaps the most appealing part of this movie is that everyone is just playing themselves. They're the character versions of themselves, but it still makes things all the more fun. And this is where Michael Cera comes in. In playing himself, he actually ends up being a drugged up, coked out asshole of sorts. Mr. typecast as typically timid end up delivering some pretty big laughs. He's pretty much the exact opposite of what you'd ever expect. A few more cameos come into the mix including Emma Watson, Rihanna, and a handful of other Apatow guys who show up at the initial party. It's a movie where if you take a look around in the background, you might spot someone you recognize from something else, essentially playing themselves, if only to be a background character. There is one other major cameo, but it's just too good, I can't spoil it. Let's just say you'll know it when you see it. What further impressed me with it was that it wasn't ONLY funny dialogue going on, but some really badass looking special effects then it got right down to seeing what some of the demons looked like, and the layout of a destroyed LA. It's a movie where you wouldn't expect the effects to be far past passable, but wait until you see these things. With fair warning, there is quite a bit of humor in this that involves some rather dark and iffy stuff. For example, a few demon penises here and there, a childish argument about *ahem* we'll say "ejaculation", and a whole lot of pretty scary-looking stuff. A pit opens up as celebrities fall into Hell, creepy sounds at night while they're trying to sleep, and without giving too much away, some of the deaths are pretty over the top. This was an interesting take on several genres. It manages to be the perfect balance of stoner comedy and horror, surprisingly enough. Not just any movie can come along and do something like that. The comedy blended with such dark subject matter makes for a pretty hilarious flick... IF you can make it past the colorful language and, again, demon penises. |
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