Wanted (2008)- Angelina Jolie

Director: Timur Bekmambetov

Stars: Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman

Genre: Action | Crime | Thriller

MPAA Rating:  (strong bloody violence throughout, pervasive language and some sexuality)

Running Time: 110 Mins

Tagline: "Choose Your Destiny"

I will admit that the first time I saw this (back in 08) I really didn’t like it. At the time I felt this movie was nonsensical and overblown. My reasons for feeling that way were due to lack of knowledge on the film’s roots. If you are unfamiliar with the origins of Wanted as I was, then look no further because I will clarify everything. Wanted is based on the graphic novel by Mark Millar, with art by J. G. Jones. As of today I have only perused through pictures online and in comic stores, I have not read nor do I have any intentions of reading them. Just knowing that its based on a graphic novel changes my whole expectation and perspective of the film. So, fast forward to 2012, I re-watch the film, and I look at it in a new light of day. I can say that from waiting to re-watch it and reading a little more about it I can see the film for what it really is: an action fantasy film.

So with that said, let’s get into the actual film and dissect it. Wanted tell the story of a young man named Wesley. Shortly in the film we are introduced to his monotonous life. He works as a sales rep with a boss he can’t stand, has a best friend who is having relations with his girlfriend, and lives in a very low end apartment. So, one can say that his life is not exactly a happy one, right? Not until he finds out he is the son of a professional killer and that he has the same skills as he does. Skills like being able to “zoom” into a target lack a hawk’s eye, being able to shoot a bullet in a curved angle, jump from tall buildings easily, and the list goes on. From the skills mentioned one can’t help to just loosen up and enjoy the movies fantasy tone. Anyway, so Wesley is not only told of his capabilities, but he is told that his father was killed and that he must track down his killer. But before he can go on the search for his father’s killer he must receive the proper training. In comes Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie, both members of “The Fraternity”-a group of assassins chosen by fate to eliminate specific individuals to bring balance and order.

Without adding any more, that pretty much sums the introduction to Wanted. From there we find out more about Wesley and his father, we learn a little more about Angelina’s character, and a little plot twists come about every now and then As both an action and fantasy film this movie succeeds, but as a serious/no nonsense movie, it does not. Don’t expect the next Bourne or James bond movie. The tone of this film leans more towards fantasy than reality. But, in no way does it mean it’s not worth the viewing or buying. To be honest, I would have this in my collection; I know I will be watching this one again sometime soon. 

Raptor (2001)- Eric Roberts

Director: Jim Wynorski

Stars: Eric Roberts, Corbin Bernsen and Melissa Brasselle

Genre:  Horror | Sci-Fi | Action

MPAA Rating: R

Running Time: 81 Mins

Tagline: "Fear Will Never Be Extinct"

NO STARS!

Anyone who has seen a Roger Corman movie knows exactly what to expect- typically corny dialogue, and below average special effects. Raptor is by no means an exception to the rule. This movie has some of the corniest dialogue and cheap  animatronic special effects. The only real difference from a Corman movie and any other movie from the the Sci-Fi Channel is that you can actually enjoy a Roger Corman movie for its cheap qualities.

Raptor has as much of a plot as bad episode of Barney the Dinosaur…if that makes any sense. This movie had only one real purpose: to show people getting eaten by dinosaur, all in a funny but gruesome fashion. But aside the violence, the movie has Eric Roberts playing a local sheriff who is sent in to investigate the deaths of three teenagers who were mauled by an animal, little do they know it was acts of a T-Rex…or was it a Velociraptor… I don’t know why they kept changing the size of the dinosaur. Actually, I have a theory why the size was changed…they used stock footage from three other movies known as Carnosaur. So anyway back to the movie, the Sheriff eventually finds out that the animal responsible is a prehistoric creature that was engineered by a mad doctor (Corbin Bensen) from here the plot pretty much diminishes and just follows a group of military trying to eliminate the dinosaurs and being eaten in the process.

I wouldn't recommend Raptor in a million years, I would only use this movie as an example of how to not to make a movie. Now, if your shitfaced or just plain bored by all means go ahead and watch Raptor you will have fun with it’s over the top gore and bad dialogue.  This movie is both available on DVD and VHS through the amazon website. I will leave below a trailer of the movie if anyone is interested . Feel free to leave comments or suggestions below.

Video Violence (1987)- Gary Schwartz

Director: Gary P. Cohen

Stars: Gary Schwartz, Chick Kaplan and Robin Leeds

Genre: Horror

MPAA Rating:

Running Time: 90 Mins

Tagline: "When renting is not enough"

It all began last week Friday when I had the urge to watch a cheesy horror movie. I checked my collection to fulfill this weird urge I had , and In the process I noticed I hadn’t opened my box set of “The Basement”. This boxset which resembled an oversized VHS tape box included a collection of long forgotten and unknown horror flicks on DVD. Of all the movies in the set, I ended up watching a flick titled Video Violence. To my amaze I actually enjoyed this movie, at least I took it for it was: an over the top/corny/and satirical horror movie about excessive violence on films.

The central plot of Video Violence is of a video store owner and his wife trying to convince authorities that gruesome acts of violence are being committed by local residents.  It all commences when the owner of the store receives a tape depicting how one of his employees got brutally murdered while being recorded on camera. The owner attempts to contact the police and demonstrate the evidence of the horrific act. Curiously something always happens along the way that prevents him from proving his claims. I will only mention one the things that happnens, in one of instances, the local sherriff accidentally erases the content in the tape leaving the owner without any proof. Incidentally, the police don’t take him seriously and belive his story is made up do to the lack of evidence. So he is left with little choice but take matters into his own hands.

Along with the owner is his wife, who tries to help her husband prove the validity of his claims.  She notices a trend in the town’s residents: they all come to the video store to rent graphic horror movies instead of a comedy or a drama. This leads her to believe that there is a connection between the movies and the gruesome acts of violence being committed. Without ruining the rest of the movie, the owners eventually get the answers they want…and I will say that the end result is hysterical/satirical/ and exaggerated conclusion. But, curiously enough it works quite well in this movie….in a bizarre sort of way.

In it's totality, this is by no means a great movie; it’s actually very silly and over-the-top. What makes the film work is the fact that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The director of this movie knew exactly what he wanted to do and it works in that bizarre/satirical sort of way. If you are interested in viewing the film I will leave a video below with the full movie along with the trailer. However, if you want to purchase the actual movie you can do so by clicking the link above in the introductory paragraph. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this review, and please don’t forget to comment below.  

Edge of The Axe (1988)-Barton Faulks

Director: José Ramón Larraz

Stars: Barton Faulks, Christina Marie Lane and Page Mosely

Genre:  Horror | Thriller

MPAA Rating: UR

Running Time: 95 Mins

Tagline: None

The 80’s is perhaps remembered as the era that brought the best music to the market. Artist like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, and Whitney Houston dominated the music industry.  But aside the music, the 80’s will perhaps be best remembered as the era in which slasher films flourished. Year after year, slasher film after slasher film was released theatrically. Undoubtedly the credit goes to John Carpenter’s Halloween; the film that gave rise to popularity the innumerous imitations that came about in the 1980’s.  From all the imitations, the one best remembered is Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday The 13^th. It was this film that opened the door for a load of imitations following the same theme or plot. Typically, the story centered on a group of teenagers going on a road trip or arriving at a camp. From there the youngsters would either get high or start premarital sex and eventually get murdered by a deranged killer in gruesome ways.

This film Edge of The Axe is no exception to the rule. This movie follows that exact same story line, without any variations or alterations.  The flick follows the story of a group of young adults living in a small town where no acts of violence ever take place. But, out of nowhere strange and weird murders start to happen.  No one seems to know who it is, and no one seems to be doing anything about stopping this murder; specifically the town’s Sherriff, who wants to keep everything quite before a commotion occurs.  Believe me when I say that this movie is no exception to the rule, it follows the same formula…only difference is the graphic scenes are bit gorier than your Jason Voorhees film counterpart.

The film isn’t exactly memorable or anything of the sort, but it does the job of entertaining the viewer for the total length running time. Personally I can say that I wasn’t bored while viewing the movie. The only complaint I had while viewing this movie was the fact they didn’t give a background on the killer. Unlike Michael or Jason where you get an idea why they kill people…here it’s pretty random and unexplained. Then again, this movie was very random and pointless to be frank; the only redeeming value you will get is seeing people butchered up in graphic ways.

 

Edge of The Axe has only been made available in the North American market on VHS. Being that this movie is over 20 years old, the quality of the tape suffers gravely. I own a copy of this movie and its beginning to degrade in picture and sound quality. And believe it or not this tape goes for as much as 37 dollars a copy. However, if you are interested in seeing this movie for free you can do so by searching for it on YouTube. I will keep a link below just in case.

The Screaming Skull (1958)-John Hudson

Director: Alex Nicol

Stars: John Hudson, Peggy Webber and Russ Conway

Genre: -  Horror | Thriller  -

MPAA Rating:

Running Time: 68 Mins

Tagline: "FREE!! We guarantee to bury you without charge if you die of fright during SCREAMING SKULL! "

Unlike Atom Age Vampire, this movie is a perfect example of “so bad it’s good” I will admit that I was laughing through most of this movie, even though most of it is unintentional humor.  The Screaming Skull is one of those flicks that will keep you entertained for all the wrong reasons. If you watch this movie, I suggest you walk into to it as if you were watching a cheesy B-movie, very much in the fashion of Plan 9 from Outer Space.  Also, this is the type of film that would air in MST3K, and believe it or not it actually did. In terms of purchasing, you will find either at a local dollar store or at Wal-Mart in those 50 horror movie packs.

The Screaming Skull tells the tale of a young woman who has recently married a widower. The film begins with her and the husband moving back in to the house where he lived with his prior wife.  After moving into the house, strange things start to manifest. Mainly, the wife begins to see a skull randomly in every corner, as if to follow her. She convinces herself that the skeleton belongs to the ex-wife. Now, to be quite frank, I give them credit for trying, but all these scenes with the skull are hilarious. You really can’t take any of it seriously. Later on, the wife explains to her husband the incidences with the skull; he tries to empathize but just can’t seem to believe her tale.

In the finale, and I warn I am about to spoil the ending, we discover that the husband was behind the whole thing; he planted the skull over the house to get his wife mad…yeah, that’s the ending. The motive behind all of this is never really explained, which leaves the audience perplexed about the whole thing. Generally, when it comes to films like this, I know what to expect, they are not masterpieces, and they are to be enjoyed for what they are: products of their time. But if you were to ask me to compare this with a modern B-movie from the sci-fi channel…I would have to say this is a far superior type of film. So to wrap up, I recommend this movie to anyone interested in having a good time watching a low budget movie. I had a good time with this movie, and enjoyed it for what it was: a classic B-Movie. If you are interested in seeing this movie for free, please scroll down and you will find a free full video of the film, I will also include a full version also free of the MST3K version of The Screaming Skull. Hope you enjoyed this review, if you like leave me a comment down below.

Atom Age Vampire (1960)- Alberto Lupo

Director: Anton Giulio Majano

Stars:  Alberto Lupo, Susanne Loret and Sergio Fantoni

Genre: Horror | Sci-Fi

MPAA Rating:

Running Time: 107 Mins (Italy)
                         87 Mins (U.S.)

Tagline: "You'll gasp with Horror . . . a spine-tingling motion picture only the atom age could produce! "

Wow I think I found the cure the insomnia! This film is literally my new night-quill. I can personally say that there is no redeeming value in this turkey.  Atom Age Vampire is your perfect example of a so bad it’s just plain bad. From the bad dialogue to the less than average acting, this movie has it all. For this review I will try to go over the main point as detailed as can be and in the shortest way possible-trust me when I say this not a movie you want to own or see. Also, before beginning this reivew: I would like to let the readers know that there is not one vampire in this movie. The original title of this movie in italy was "Seddok, l'erede di Satana"  and the translation has nothing in relation to vampires or atoms. The only mentioning of atom or vampires is in one scene where a character randomly mentions the word as an analogy. But aside that, no vampires, no atoms.

Atom Age Vampire tells the story of a striper named Jeanette, who ends up disfigured after a fatal car accident. After the accident, Jeanette feels contempt for herself, for she is now scarred in the face. Funny how the scarring isn’t too serious and she makes a big fuss about it, that’s just me of course. Anyhow, Jeanette eventually seeks one of the best doctors in the region. This little mad doctor is working on a new serum that can cure any deformalized face or imperfection in the skin…however it comes with a cost: for the process, living bodies must be used to absorb energy; once the energy is absorbed, the process of “curing” can take place. Notice how I quote curing, I emphasize because the cure isn’t permanent, it only lasts a couple of days before returning to its natural state.

Without knowing the side-effects, Jeanette undergoes the procedure for the rejuvenation. Initially content, she discovers the truth: that the process does not last. Even worse she discovers that the doctor has undergone the process too, and he himself is deformed. The mad doctor does not stop there, he continues to find innocent victims at night to keep him and Jeanette looking perfect. And as the film progressed we find out also that the doctor is madly in love with the stripper, and he goes to these extreme measures for her. In between all this mess is the stripper’s ex-boyfriend, who is on the look for her.

I really couldn’t take this film seriously. The whole thing was disjointed and incoherent. Not to mention that this movie is also very boring and slow. Like I said at the beginning the whole thing is perfect as a cure for sleeplessness; I fell asleep 15 min into the movie. I think it took me about four nights to finish the damn thing.  Another thing with this movie is the music they chose for it-doesn’t fit the tone of the film. And lastly, the dubbing of the film makes it so much worse. The film’s original language is Italian and it was dubbed and trimmed down 20 min before release. I honestly don’t know if the 20 minutes omitted and a new audio track can save this film. I would personally avoid this film.

I own this movie thanks to the 50 Horror Movie Pack from Millcreek Entertainment. The box set contains this film and plenty of other B-Movies. I would recommend the box set if you are interested in cheap, low budget, drive in style sort of movies. However, I would not recommend this DVD if you are interested in Atom Age Vampire.  If you really want to see this turd of a film, I will leave a link below to the full movie for free, but be advised that this movie literally sucks big time.  The quality of this movie on both the link provided and DVD is identical, being that it is public domain, the quality is poor and un-remastered. The audio is also of very low quality. I wouldn’t be surprised if they took the rip of this movie from an older generation VHS tape. The quality of the DVD and link are of no better than an SLP recorded tape. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this review, feel free to comment below.

Rebel Without A Cause (1955) - James Dean

Director: Nicholas Ray

Stars: James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo

Genre:   Drama | Romance

MPAA Rating: (some violence and thematic elements)

Running Time: 111 Mins

Tagline: "Teenage terror torn from today's headlines "







 Ever hear the phrase “they don’t make them like they used to” well it’s quite evident in this timeless classic, starring the late talented actor James Dean, who passed away in 1955 from a tragic car accident. Rebel without a Cause is one of three films released upon the time of his death, and the only three films he ever got to work in.  Now, I had never seen a James Dean movie, not until I saw this one last week; and to be honest it’s a shame I had not seen this earlier, it easily falls in my top 25 films of all time. Rebel without a Cause may be considered by some as an antiquated and dated film- I personally beg to differ. This movie is as ever relevant now as it was in 1955 (when released). The films topic of rebellious youth adapting to transitions from childhood to young adulthood can still be observed in many adolescents today; perhaps even to a higher degree today.  That is why I wouldn’t regard this film as out-of-date.  The wardrobe and manners of expressions of the 50’s may no longer be apparent today, but youth alienation, and eagerness for acceptance from peers  is still very relevant  and significant  in today’s modern society.



As for the plot of Rebel without a Cause, the film follows the story of three troubled and misunderstood teenagers. All of which just want one simple thing: “to be accepted”. The parents of these youths can’t relate with them, some try to empathize with their dilemmas, but they fail to provide any real help. The first youth we are introduced to is Jim Stark (James Dean) a new student in town who doesn’t seem to be able to fit in with anyone in school. Jim’s attempts at fitting in end up in rebellious acts-such as-drag racing, street fighting, and other mischievous acts. The other adolescents we are introduced to are Judy (Natalie Wood) who only wants love from her mother and father, and Plato (Sal Mineo) who just want to be acknowledged and understood by his peers. 

In all, the characters presented want the same things from society: approval and acceptance. That is why I restate that this film is not outdated, it offers viewers a view of how the problems children face today was also evident in the past. Nothing ever really changes, it is all a cycle, and we are connected. So the next time you hear your parents say “I know what you are going through” listen, very likely there is a reason for why they tell you that.  As mentioned before, the film’s tone may be old-fashioned, but the message is as important now as it was then. Give the film chance; it is definitely a classic that shouldn’t be missed. Personally I would recommend owning this one and having it on your shelf.

If you are going to purchase this movie, I recommend you buy Rebel Without a Cause (2-Disc Special Edition) this version brings a remastered print of the movie, and it includes special features never before seen. Also, if interested in more of James Dean’s movies I recommend the TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection DVD. This DVD includes another Dean film titled “East of Eden” and two other movies starring Marlon Brando and Paul Newman.

The Naked Face (1987)- Roger Moore

Director: Bryan Forbes

Stars: Roger Moore, Rod Steiger and Elliott Gould

Genre:  Action | Mystery | Thriller

MPAA Rating: R

Running Time: 103 Mins

Tagline: "He knows someone is trying to murder him. What he doesn't know can get him killed!"






It is quite amusing what you will find when checking the VHS tape aisle in your local thrift store.  That was at least the case for me when I stumbled upon this old videocassette copy of “The Naked Face”. The cover-which appeared to be like James bond-esque adventure, was more than enough at the time to convince me of making this purchase.  However, as the old saying goes “never judge a book by its cover” is quite evident here.While this may not be a book, it is still a cover, and I made a bad judgment call…this movie is neither related nor similar in any way to the James Bond film series
The real story of “The Naked Face” is about a Psychiatrist named Dr. Judd Stevens, a dedicated and hardworking man, who is wrongfully accused of murdering one of his patients. This  patient is seen early in the film stabbed from behind and falling down a flight of stairs towards a subway entrance; what the audience does not  get to see is the individual who actually stabbed him. So, throughout the film we see Dr. Stevens trying to prove his innocence and aid officials in finding the individual who is responsible; and while trying to prove his innocence, the doctor finds himself caught in tangled mess of conspiracies, lies, and betrayal. 

Dr. Stevens also intents to  to get help from local police and friends who seem of little help in his inocence. More than anything, the police wants him arrested, mafia wants him dead, and friends don’t know how to help. In a sense the guy is helpless and on his own. He does however, have a bargaining piece with the police: a recording session at the doctor’s office with the victim minutes before his death. Nevertheless, the doctor refuses to give this recording due to privacy and confidentiality, which upsets one of the main officers even more. The main cop is played by Rod Steiger, who is better known (at least to me) from the movie Mars Attacks. In this movie, Steiger is mean, loud, and short-tempered-just as he was in Mars Attacks.  For me the performance from both principal actors was great, the problem with this movie is the plot…way to convoluted and contrived.

While not a horrible movie, it does however fail to provide any real form of suspense. The film took itself way too seriously, too hard to follow, and a pacing slower than a snail- at least for me it was. Another issue that I had was the clarification of the characters, never in the movie do they tell you the motives or the reasons behind the accusations…it’s all flat and uninspiring.  Not to mention also that the ending was downright abrupt, no explanation, just a blank ending. Had it not been for that ending and the lack of cohesion, I would be more amicable in giving this film a higher rating. I would personally only recommend this film to Roger Moore enthusiast.

The Naked Face is currently only available in VHS in The U.S. obtaining a copy may be a little difficult outside the internet market. I was lucky to find a copy in a thrift store, but that’s not saying much since the copy I own is in really poor condition. Then again, I wouldn’t recommend owning this film neither on tape nor on DVD (if it ever gets released) but, if you are extremely eager to find it, you can try amazon and eBay for it, I will leave links below. As for the quality of the tape, I must say it has aged poorly; at least that is the case with my copy. The tape is 25+ years old and it shows signs of faded image and damaged audio.

Silent Trigger (1996)- Dolph Lundgren (1 ½ )

Director: Russell Mulcahy

Stars: Dolph Lundgren, Gina Bellman and Conrad Dunn

Genre:  Action | Drama | Thriller

MPAA Rating: R (strong violent content and language, and for some sexuality and drug content)

Running Time: 89 Mins

Tagline: "Kill or be Killed "





REVIEW

Silent Trigger is not your typical action film; in fact it’s not really an action film at all. Sure, there are some scenes that due involve fighting and shooting, but the instances are very few. The only reason I picked this title up was because of Dolph Lundgren, I like the guy’s movies, they may be unoriginal but they sure are entertaining. I wish I could say the same thing for Silent Trigger, a movie that had me bored to death for 89 min.

Dolph Lundgren plays a hired assassin that gets double crossed by his employer for not following a primary objective. So, for the majority of the film, we see Lundgren an a female counterpart in the same game of death, both on the lurk for the man who hired them and killing of another target. I am sure there are many details I missed out from the movie, that’s for sure, but keep in mind I was bored to death in this film.

I wouldn’t recommend this movie, honestly I wouldn’t. the biggest problem this movie faces is the production values; the film looks like it was shot in an abandoned building. Also, I got aggravated with the constant flashbacks, at first I had a hard time knowing what was the present and what was the past. I am surprised this movie is directed by the man who directed Highlander, a director who used great editing to transition from past to present in that film.  All in all, I wouldn’t suggest nor recommend this turd. Stay far away.

DVD

I first got this DVD back in 08 while I was still working for FYE. The movie was really cheap, I only paid 2 dollars for it…and with all sincerity, that’s pretty much what it’s worth.

VIDEO

The DVD brings the movie in a fullscreen presentation. From what I heard, the movie was shot in a 2:35:1 widescreen. For me, it doesn’t bother me at all, its not a good movie anyway.  

AUDIO

The audio is perhaps the only good thing in this bare bones DVD, it brings both a 5.1. Surround Sound and a 2ch surround sound.