So for a long time, I've written a weekly post entitled "Last Week's Movies" where I review everything I watched during the week. It's become apparent that I can't really keep up with these posts. My reviews have become shorter and shorter as my focus shifts further towards Mondo Exploito. I still like to keep track of what I watch, so I'll continue these posts in the form of "Last Month's Movies" where I'll keep my "review" for each film to one or two sentences!
Amazonia: The Catherine Miles Story (1985)
7/10
A gory jungle drama, very much watchable from start to finish peppered with a few standout scenes.
Amour (2012)
10/10
Perhaps the most emotionally draining cinema experience of my life. Amour is Haneke's best work to date.
Amsterdamned (1988)
7.5/10
A Dutch thriller packed with action with a fantastic use of Amsterdam's canals as a creepy location.
The Big Heat (1953)
10/10
Fritz Lang delivers one of the best noirs of all time. This is among my favourite films, noir or otherwise.
Black Sunday (1960)
8/10
One of Bava's many fantastic additions to the horror genre. Its opening is phenomenal.
The Bloody Judge (1970)
7/10
I had a lot of fun with this sleazy historical piece from Franco and Christopher Lee. Violent, foul and nicely put together.
The Castle of Fu Manchu (1962)
6/10
A decently made, albeit low budgeted, Fu Manchu film from Jess Franco. Entertaining enough, but entirely forgettable.
The Dallas Connection (1994)
5.5/10
A fairly unremarkable effort from Sidaris Jr. Still, an okay way to kill and hour and a half.
Day of the Warrior (1996)
7/10
A particularly ludicrous Sidaris film. Lots of fun.
Dracula, Prisoner of Frankenstein (1972)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Enemy Gold (1993)
6/10
Sidaris Jr. clearly has the same interests as his late father: bad jokes, giant boobs and explosions. Perhaps better shot than some of his dad's films, but lacking the charm.
Fit to Kill (1993)
7/10
An enjoyable followup to Hard Hunted. Lots of explosions and boobs.
Faceless (1987)
8/10
A totally insane gore film from the late Jess Franco. Very 80s and extremely entertaining.
Hard Hunted (1992)
7/10
One of the better Sidaris films, helped by an unintentionally hilarious performance from Geoffrey Moore.
Herencia diabólica (1994)
5/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
The Hillside Strangler (2004)
6/10
A grimy serial killer film that gets a bit too silly at times. Ultimately a little dull, but not terrible.
Holy Motors (2012)
9/10
A fascinating film that took me a few days to process. Denis Lavant gives the performance(s) of a lifetime.
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)
8/10
A well made and surprisingly restrained modern horror film that deserves major kudos for its original concept and lack of irritating shaky camerawork.
Inferno (1980)
9/10
What Inferno lacks in plot, it makes up for in beautiful visuals. Its only stylistic letdown is its score from Keith Emerson that lacks the punch of a Goblin score.
Lisa and the Devil (1974)
9/10
One of my favourite Bava films. Hypnotic and utterly bizarre.
Live Wire (1992)
7.5/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
8.5/10
Beloved and famous for a damn good reason. Its only weak point is its generic score.
Manborg (2011)
8/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
New Tokyo Decadence: The Slave (2007)
8/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
A Night to Remember (1958)
9/10
Forget Cameron's bloated vision of the Titanic, this is a truly soul shattering, gut wrenching presentation of the tragic accident.
No Retreat, No Surrender (1986)
7/10
A sloppy piece of 80s stupidity that features some truly mind-boggling montages and an early appearance from Van Damme. A must see for everyone.
One Upon a Time in the West (1968)
10/10
Leone's finest work, in my opinion. Beautiful music from Morricone and an excellent cast help complete Leone's staggering vision of the West.
Phantom of the Opera (1925)
8.5/10
This silent classic remains the best cinematic retelling of Gaston Leroux's novel.
Point Break (1991)
7/10
Fast-paced, solid action film. In some ways ahead of its time and other ways extremely dated (in the best possible way).
Die Puppe (1919)
7/10
An interesting silent effort from Lubitsch. Nowhere near the heights of his comedies from the following decades, but fascinating for those interested in his work.
Return to Savage Beach (1998)
6/10
The final film from Andy Sidaris isn't his best, but it's nonetheless an enjoyable piece of trash.
Righting Wrongs (1986)
7/10
An enjoyable Hong Kong action flick that sags in the middle, but smashes out a spectacular finale.
Sanjuro (1962)
9.5/10
An equally brilliant, but entirely different (sort of) followup to Yojimbo. Lighthearted in tone for the most part, but its ending packs a punch.
Santa Sangre (1989)
8.5/10
A violent and surprisingly comprehensible film from Jodorowsky captured with amazing imagery and cinematography.
SS Experiment Camp (1976)
5/10
An obnoxious and ultimately pretty awful Naziploitation flick, although it scores big points for its hilarious testicle-stealing plot.
SS Hell Camp (1977)
7/10
An offensive Naziploitation film full of horrible torture scenes and shocking stupidity. Definitely worth a watch.
Sukeban Deka 2 (1988)
6/10
A sequel that doesn't quite contain the energy of its predecessor, but is still solid entertainment for those that dig goofy, Japanese action from the 80s.
Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)
5/10
A watchable but very disappointing adaptation of the excellent series The Adventures of Robin Hood. Sadly, it ditches all of the show's cast other than Richard Greene.
The Taint (2010)
8.5/10
My friend I watched this with summed it up perfectly: "It's like watching the most exciting student film ever made." That's meant in the best possible way.
Tender Flesh (1997)
6/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Tiger Cage (1988)
8/10
A fun Hong Kong actioner filled with insane stunts and squibs.
Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)
8/10
This one took me by surprise. Horror-comedy is a hard genre to pull off, but Tucker and Dale does it very well (it leans more towards comedy than horror). Very funny stuff.
Yojimbo (1961)
9.5/10
I can't believe I waited this long to see this amazing movie. Tense, funny at times and always entertaining.
Zombie (1979)
8/10
Fulci's groundbreaking zombie film remains an impressive effort with some jaw-dropping scenes.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Last Month's Movies #9
So for a long time, I've written a weekly post entitled "Last Week's Movies" where I review everything I watched during the week. It's become apparent that I can't really keep up with these posts. My reviews have become shorter and shorter as my focus shifts further towards Mondo Exploito. I still like to keep track of what I watch, so I'll continue these posts in the form of "Last Month's Movies" where I'll keep my "review" for each film to one or two sentences!
Blackenstein (1973)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Cat Soup (2001)
8/10
An interesting and beautifully animated short film.
Days of Being Wild (1990)
9.5/10
Near perfect Wong Kar-Wai effort with unbelievable cinematography from Christopher Doyle and great performances from the cast.
Experiment in Terror (1962)
8.5/10
A wonderfully tense thriller from the always reliable Blake Edwards. Suffers from a somewhat weak ending, but still great stuff.
Housekeeper Molestation - Sexy Apron (2000)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
The King's Speech (2010)
8/10
A fascinating story with two amazing lead performances from Firth and Rush.
Perverted Tenants - In Heat Both Day and Night (2010)
6.5/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Playing Outdoors - A Peeper's Wet Patch (2013)
7.5/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Possessed (1983)
7/10
An entertaining Hong Kong horror flick that's a little low on action, but makes up for it with a few impressive scenes.
Sea Wolves (1991)
8/10
A fun, brutal and ridiculous Hong Kong actioner with a big cast. Definitely required viewing for fans of HK action.
Shark's Paradise (1986)
8/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Super (2010)
9/10
An extraordinarily dark and brilliant comedy that unfairly suffered at the box office. One of the most underrated films of the last few years.
The Toxic Avenger (1984)
10/10
A one of a kind masterpiece of 80s exploitation that only gets better with age and repeated viewings.
This is 40 (2012)
6/10
This Judd Apatow effort is far too long and can be painfully repetitive in its scenes of bickering. Some good moments to be found, but certainly his biggest disappointment thus far.
Blackenstein (1973)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Cat Soup (2001)
8/10
An interesting and beautifully animated short film.
Days of Being Wild (1990)
9.5/10
Near perfect Wong Kar-Wai effort with unbelievable cinematography from Christopher Doyle and great performances from the cast.
Experiment in Terror (1962)
8.5/10
A wonderfully tense thriller from the always reliable Blake Edwards. Suffers from a somewhat weak ending, but still great stuff.
Housekeeper Molestation - Sexy Apron (2000)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
The King's Speech (2010)
8/10
A fascinating story with two amazing lead performances from Firth and Rush.
Perverted Tenants - In Heat Both Day and Night (2010)
6.5/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Playing Outdoors - A Peeper's Wet Patch (2013)
7.5/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Possessed (1983)
7/10
An entertaining Hong Kong horror flick that's a little low on action, but makes up for it with a few impressive scenes.
Sea Wolves (1991)
8/10
A fun, brutal and ridiculous Hong Kong actioner with a big cast. Definitely required viewing for fans of HK action.
Shark's Paradise (1986)
8/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Super (2010)
9/10
An extraordinarily dark and brilliant comedy that unfairly suffered at the box office. One of the most underrated films of the last few years.
The Toxic Avenger (1984)
10/10
A one of a kind masterpiece of 80s exploitation that only gets better with age and repeated viewings.
This is 40 (2012)
6/10
This Judd Apatow effort is far too long and can be painfully repetitive in its scenes of bickering. Some good moments to be found, but certainly his biggest disappointment thus far.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Last Month's Movies #8
So for a long time, I've written a weekly post entitled "Last Week's Movies" where I review everything I watched during the week. It's become apparent that I can't really keep up with these posts. My reviews have become shorter and shorter as my focus shifts further towards Mondo Exploito. I still like to keep track of what I watch, so I'll continue these posts in the form of "Last Month's Movies" where I'll keep my "review" for each film to one or two sentences!
Ace Attorney (2012)
7/10
A decent effort from Miike that could have been fantastic had it been about forty-five minutes shorter. A strangely long running time that completely kills its pacing.
Bad Dreams (1988)
7/10
While not entirely successful and somewhat derivative, Bad Dreams is a fast-paced and tight 80s horror with some excellent gruesome scenes and a brilliant final act.
Evilspeak (1981)
8/10
An excellent 80s horror flick with a solid lead performance from Clint Howard and one of the most out of control endings in the horror genre.
Feed (2005)
6/10
A pretty awful Australian horror film that suffers from its American setting and its terrible lead performance. However, taken as a black comedy, it's actually quite entertaining. It also succeeds in being genuinely disgusting at times.
Final Exam (1981)
6/10
A seriously odd 80s slasher that takes an extremely long time to get going with the killer only showing up in the final act. Worth watching for its bizarre attention to characters who would normally be mindless killer fodder.
Fortress (1985)
8/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Harry Brown (2009)
6/10
A silly but watchable film, Harry Brown would probably have been a great film if made thirty years ago. It seems to have the arrogant attitude that it's an intelligent piece of cinema, when really it should have embraced its exploitative roots.
Jaws in Japan (2009)
-/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Killer Condom (1996)
7/10
A flawed but enjoyable comedy with some standout scenes and a solid cast. The German language in a noirish New York setting is very funny.
The Killer Must Kill Again (1975)
9/10
A solid giallo from Luigi Cozzi. Its approach is different from your typical giallo making it unpredictable and entertaining.
Killer Workout (1987)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Le segrete esperienze di Luca e Fanny (1980)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Tell No One (2006)
8/10
A well put together French thriller. However, it is most likely has little rewatchability once the twists are known.
Tough and Deadly (1995)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)
9.5/10
A spectacular Czechoslovakian treat. Beautiful visuals and locations work wonderfully in presenting a dreamlike tale.
What Have You Done to Solange? (1972)
9.5/10
One of the best giallos to come out of Italy. Near perfect with some fantastic twists along the way.
Who Can Kill a Child? (?)
10/10
This could be the best horror/thriller I've seen from Spain. Nail-biting from start to finish with an excellent use of sound. This is a film that knows when to hold back and when to slap you across the face.
Ace Attorney (2012)
7/10
A decent effort from Miike that could have been fantastic had it been about forty-five minutes shorter. A strangely long running time that completely kills its pacing.
Bad Dreams (1988)
7/10
While not entirely successful and somewhat derivative, Bad Dreams is a fast-paced and tight 80s horror with some excellent gruesome scenes and a brilliant final act.
Evilspeak (1981)
8/10
An excellent 80s horror flick with a solid lead performance from Clint Howard and one of the most out of control endings in the horror genre.
Feed (2005)
6/10
A pretty awful Australian horror film that suffers from its American setting and its terrible lead performance. However, taken as a black comedy, it's actually quite entertaining. It also succeeds in being genuinely disgusting at times.
Final Exam (1981)
6/10
A seriously odd 80s slasher that takes an extremely long time to get going with the killer only showing up in the final act. Worth watching for its bizarre attention to characters who would normally be mindless killer fodder.
Fortress (1985)
8/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Harry Brown (2009)
6/10
A silly but watchable film, Harry Brown would probably have been a great film if made thirty years ago. It seems to have the arrogant attitude that it's an intelligent piece of cinema, when really it should have embraced its exploitative roots.
Jaws in Japan (2009)
-/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Killer Condom (1996)
7/10
A flawed but enjoyable comedy with some standout scenes and a solid cast. The German language in a noirish New York setting is very funny.
The Killer Must Kill Again (1975)
9/10
A solid giallo from Luigi Cozzi. Its approach is different from your typical giallo making it unpredictable and entertaining.
Killer Workout (1987)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Le segrete esperienze di Luca e Fanny (1980)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Tell No One (2006)
8/10
A well put together French thriller. However, it is most likely has little rewatchability once the twists are known.
Tough and Deadly (1995)
7/10
Reviewed on Mondo Exploito.
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970)
9.5/10
A spectacular Czechoslovakian treat. Beautiful visuals and locations work wonderfully in presenting a dreamlike tale.
What Have You Done to Solange? (1972)
9.5/10
One of the best giallos to come out of Italy. Near perfect with some fantastic twists along the way.
Who Can Kill a Child? (?)
10/10
This could be the best horror/thriller I've seen from Spain. Nail-biting from start to finish with an excellent use of sound. This is a film that knows when to hold back and when to slap you across the face.
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