A nice gory flick from 1982.







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ze9DiPcAuE

You know, remember the name, but am not sure I've seen this one.

Thanks for posting!

3 1/2 Stars = Very Good

It's the Monstermania version of "Wrestlemania!" It's so cheesy, it had to be filmed in Wisconsin, but set in Michigan. I suppose they make cheese too, but I wouldn't want to eat it. It's so stupid, it's hilarious, at least at times. It's so bad, it's good!

Yes, it's "Monster Brawl!" The movie you've been waiting all your life to see! The movie that pits "Creature," against "Creature!" "The Undead," against "the Undead!" Even in two weight classes! Middle weight & heavy weight! But wait, there's more! The winners of their weight class & division are pitted against the winners of the other division, so we have get two world championship matches! "Creature" vs. "the Undead!" Heavy weight vs. heavy weight. Middle weight vs. middle weight. Oh the horror, the agony, the ecstasy! The gooey dripping cheese from my flat screen!

All jokes aside, this is a fairly clever monster bash. The makers of this film intended it to be so bad, it's good, & their good at doing it! No, this is no classic creature feature, but it's a great idea that I'm surprised has not been done before. It lampoons professional wrestling & movies like, "Godzilla vs. King Kong" & "Frankenstein meets the Wolfman, & current film series, like "Underworld" & "Twilight." Yes, the film makers have an agenda here, & it works a good part of the time, to induce a good belly laugh or two.

Their are basically four segments' of this film. You get a little biography on each monster before a match, but unfortunately, more than not, this is pretty weak, only inducing a smile or two. More because of it's total corniness, than any genuine laughs. You have the two wrestling commentators, a big wink at the WWF & WWE, this works better, but not by much, other than when the matches are happening, which works well. In a bigger wink, you get Jimmy Hart, "the Mouth of the South" with two hot vixens in bikinis. This is very corny too, but works in the context of things. Then you get the matches, which are frankly, hilarious! The monster's make up, suitably cheesy for this cheesiest of films. The cheese is running hot! I mean, you got to take this all in context as it was meant to be taken. The matches are down right funny in their lampooning silliness, along with the commentators yakking it up, makes for a lot of fun!

Of course, the makers could've went the straight route, but that in it's self could've been a real cheese fest (especially with their low budget), unintended & no fun. So take "Monster Brawl" in the context it is meant to be, pop a beer, eats some potato chips, & have some fun with it! I did!

"Monster Brawl" 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ikVXJ7cn70

It's actually kind of crappy

I wouldn't know.

3 1/2 Stars = Very Good

Pretty damn good "Dark Ages" satanic/witch movie! Which asks the question, which is more evil, "the Church" the "Templers" fight for, or the woman accused of being a witch that has brought on the "Black Plague?"

Nicholas Cage & Ron Pearlman star. Love both these actors, but their obvious American accents & some seemly out of place, out of time frame dialog early on, tend to knock this down a half notch for me. Call me picky & possibly naive to what people actually said, & how they said it back in the dark ages. I'm used to at the minimum, British accents, & not two buddy's fighting a battle & talking about whoever makes the most kills buys the drinks tonight, LOL!

Still, a highly entertaining film with very good special effects, & even manages to build up some good dread along the way. Nicely filmed!

"Season of the Witch" 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6QY5LOa6MM

4 1/2 Stars = Minor Masterpiece

Man, this film is as a about white knuckled & high tensioned as you can get. It's a thrill ride to end all thrill rides for movies about evil kids! This film is every parents with their own children, who adopts an outside older child worse nightmare, & then some! It's a hair raising back of you neck horror film, yes, horror film, & has a ending that is just as explosive as it's mind blowing. You get some clues along the way, but even so, it blows your mind!

Actress, Isabelle Fuhrman, as the adopted child, "Esther, is the personification of a twisted sick mind. Pure unadulterated evil! Soulless black doll eyes, that penetrates you to your bone marrow, & makes you realize with crystal clear horror, that a child can be a very dangerous creature! She should've got an Oscar nomination for her portrayal as Esther! She is this film! She works her character like a spider spinning a web, a web of deciet, ready to ensnare her victims in a deadly embrace of cold as ice, evil brutality!

Many critics dismissed this film as just anothe "Bad Seed" clone, & not a great one at that. I don't know what film they were watching, but surely not this one! If you like sitting on the edge of your seat, with your hands clenched hard, wondering what is going to happen next, than "Orphan," is your ticket to parent's hell. Enjoy the ride & hope it never happens to you!

"Orphan" 2009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ywOPNNii9w

3 1/2 Stars = Very Good

This is not your standard ghost story, but a ghost story with a wicked twist!

A daughter has came back home for her very abusive mother's funeral. She is staying in her mother's house when strange events begin to happen. Things falling off the walls. Someone touching her that is not there. Crazy vivid dreams. A mysterious blonde woman who materializes from thin air. Her sister & cousin comes up missing in the house. Yes, this all sounds like typical overused & abused haunted house clichés, but their done very convincingly, with good direction, strong acting, & a strong soundtrack, that adds a good amount of ghostly dreadful suspense.

"The Pact" is a hybrid film of two genres. I won't go into details for it would ruin the story. In some ways it reminds me of "the Entity," especially it's soundtrack. It also reminds me of "Silence of the Lambs" & "What Lies Beneath." Ok, maybe to much information, but that's all I'm giving away.

You could do a lot worse than to check out this good little indie horror film, though flawed, it is a different breed of a ghost story, which is a rare ghost indeed in the huge cemetery of forgotten ghost films.

"The Pact" 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjBT7z3lhf8

4 Stars = Classic

"Island of the Lost Souls."

Wow, I've been waiting to see this 1932 film all my life. I used to subscribe to "Famous Monsters" magazine, & had/have several horror movie history books with pictures from this film. I can remember being ten or less, & seeing the mutated creatures from this film in pictures, thinking, wow, I have to see this film!

For those of you who don't know what this film is about, there are two remakes, one with Burt Lancaster as the good doctor, "the Island of Dr. Moreau," 1977, & the same named remake with Marlon Brando as Dr. Moreau in 1996. The 1932 version has Charles Laughton playing Dr. Moreau with evil glee! Much like the performance of Niall MacGinnis as the master Warlock, Dr. Julian Karswell in "Night of the Demon, or it's American title, "Curse of the Demon. All three films based on the 1896 novel, "The Island of Dr. Moreau. Dr. Moreau is a scientist who turns animals into humans, some more successful than others. A shipwrecked man becomes marooned on the island & discovers Dr. Moreau's terrible secret & abominations, & it's a fight to escape the evil doctor clutches & his creatures.

"The Island of Lost Souls" for it's time is quite the revelation. It was banned in England until the 1950's! It has had great influence on all monster make up that came after, as the beast are truly that in many cases, beasts walking on two legs. Of course, don't expect a modern day horror film, but remember when this film was made & the impact it has had on horror cinema when watching it. The movie holds up very well today, only "Frankenstein" & "the Bride of Frankenstein" hold up better from the 1930's.

"Island of Lost Souls" is truly a very rare film, no surviving negative remains, only reproductions, & those had to be piece worked together for this Blu ray version. Don't expect a crystal clear I can see that grain of sand on the beach clarity with this film, but for horror & movie buffs, this film more than suffices. It is history, one that has been absent for many years. An essential work.

Enjoy!

"Island of Lst Souls" 1932

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZI12TdvzAY

Here is a very good remake of George Romero's, "The Crazies."

Worth a look!

"The Crazies" 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WRH2bzArGk

Nah...its a gore filled fun time. Lighten up and enjoy the bloodshed.

Funny enough, all the years I've known about this film, I've never watched it. I might have seen bits & pieces, but am not even sure about that?

One of these days...

Yet another, I've known about & have never watched. Mostly because I'm not a big slasher fan, but there are those exceptions...

Good horror movie!

Pretty bad. But has one of the great, classic endings. If you enjoy poking fun at shitty dialogue, acting and just weird ass shit (who would hire a pedophile cook?!), it's worth checking out, if for no other reason than the ending. Assuming you don't already know about it.

Yes, I know about the ending.

Whatever it takes to plug you in, AC/DC?

Not that you guys need a review or trailer on these films, but sometimes I indulge myself.

I'll be reviewing "the Jurassic Park" films the next three days.

"Jurassic Park"

5 Stars = Masterpiece

"Jurassic Park" was a revelation when I went to the theater & seen it! Before "Jurassic Park," we only had stop motion animation for dinosaurs & other assorted creatures. Movies like "Dragon Slayer" perfected the art of stop motion, but "Jurassic Park" made the dinosaurs REAL! It was like going back in time through the theater screen!

"Jurassic Park" did not only look good, but it was a great movie! Sure, the dinosaurs were the centerpiece of attraction here, but the script, acting, & especially the editing for action sequences was top notch. This was a thrill ride, equal to any amusement park's. The T-Rex scene in it's self, was the absolute zenith of entrancement through tension, suspense, & orchestration of manipulating the audience with pure awe & terror! It was a scene like no other before it, & only rivaled by a few after. It still thrills me to this day! The Raptors were not far behind it!

"Jurassic Park" is essential entertainment for the movie lover! Even one's who are not fans of Sci-Fi, ala' dinosaurs. A major movie event then, & still is today!

The Blu-ray looks great, though there is some grain in the dark shots. The sound is terrific. An upgrade is recommended!

"Jurassic Park" 1993

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bim7RtKXv90

"The Lost World: Jurassic Park"

3 1/2 Stars = Very Good

When I heard that they were bringing out a sequel to "Jurassic Park," I was pumped as Fred Flintstone having a life time gift certificate at Bronto King! I was frothing at the jaws to see this film! I was even more excited to hear Spielberg was directing again, can't go wrong there, can you... or can you???

"The Lost World: Jurassic Park" hit the theaters, & I was there, ready to be awed & adrenalized like I was from the first one! It did not happen! WHAT HAPPENED??? Oh, there were dinosaurs a plenty, more than the first. They brought back Jeff Glodblum's character, Dr. Ian Malcom, who I enjoyed in the first movie. Of course, Spielberg was back...or was he??? I'm not so sure? Was this the same Spielberg that directed the first one??? Surely, it must of been his stunt dummy double, for this film had more plot holes big enough to drop a heard of Brontosaurs through, with out touching the sides, than a mine field! Also, miscasting by ice ages with Malcom's daughter, who even the movie makes fun of, "Do you see a family resemblance?" I read the book, but this total lapse in judgment, was a huge Stegosaurus tail spike through the brain. It was a total cut & paste job! Lets throw in the daughter, because she was in the book, but lets totally forget about the book from there. The girl stuck out like a sore Iguanodon thumb! Nuff said about that.

Now for the dumb humans as Dino treats! Did the human race completely loose all their intelligence? I mean, I know with a movie like this you have to suspend disbelief to enjoy, but do you have to check your brain in to the coat check, before entering the theater? Lets see, you got Julianne Moore as Dr. Sarah Harding, a predator specialist with extensive experience with predators in Africa. First thing this woman does is runs straight in to a group of mad Stegosaurs, because she was petting their baby & took a picture, & when the camera automatically winds, the baby Stegosaur cries out. Now I don't know about you, but I would not be petting & taking close up baby portraits, while Mom & Dad are 100 feet away. Then when said, Mom & Dad get mad & charge, I would not run straight through them. I'd turn tail & run the opposite way. Ok, I got that off my chest, but it's still to heavy! So lets talk about bringing the baby T-Rex back to the trailer & mending it's broken leg. Ok, I can see wanting to save the baby, but said Dr. Sarah Harding, predator specialist, does not even know any better than after surviving the parents T-Rex attack on the trailer, to take off her blood soaked jacket from the baby T-Rex & try washing the scent off her skin??? I mean, it was raining, right? Then, if that was not enough, the macho hunter guys help pull them up the cliff side, & the big African game hunter who said earlier, "I'm tired of putting my life in jeopardy for a bunch of rich dentists," or something to that effect, sees Sarah's jacket & doesn't say, get rid of it! Or, how about the Paleontologist who had a brilliant conversation about T-Rex having the largest olfactory (meaning smelling capacity) of any dinosaur (which is true). He said, T-Rex would not track them after they got out of their territory, then was reminded about T-Rex's smeller, & then not tell Dr. Sarah Harding, to kindly remove her jacket, before T-Rex picks us out of his teeth with a tree??? Oh, I could go on & on about these truly dumb humans, even in San Diego, watching a speeding ship on radar, ready to crash into the dock, & just staring out to sea, only to run the moment before the ship actually hits the dock, oh boy! One more thing, was this ship scene a homage to Dracula??? All the dead body parts laying around the ship, yet the T-Rex still in the hold (though to be fair, there was a arm & hand holding the open & shut buttons), & how about the severed hand hanging from the steering wheel, though the bridge is to small for the T-Rex to get in, & the windows were not even broken??? Shame on you Mr. Spielberg!

But wait! Even with all the things I just wrote about, & all the things I could've wrote about, but didn't, the San Diego part of the movie saved this film from being totally Dino, doo doo! I have to admit, I got a charge out of the Godzilla homage here, & if anything, watching the Japanese with cameras, running with the rest of the people, away from the rampaging T-Rex, was worth the price of admission alone! I roared over that, & other scenes, the last third of the film.

So we have a third of a good to great movie here, that, if not makes up for the first two thirds, at least equals things out. So, "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" ends up being a very good popcorn movie, that is, if you leave your brain at the coat check!

Recommended for all of us with two Stegosaurus brains. A very small one in the head, & an even smaller one in the butt!

The Blu-ray even looks better than "Jurassic Park!" Gone is the grain which is quite evident in the dark scenes of the first film. If you like or love this film, I recommend the upgrade!

"The Lost World: Jurassic Park" 1997

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F6riTLfo48

4 1/2 Stars = Minor Masterpiece

ARRRGH! "Jurassic Park III,", now this is a Dinosaur movie! Just about everything that was wrong with "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" has been fixed & improved. Yes, there is a plot hole here & there, always is, but compared to "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" huge mine field of holes, this film is as smooth, trim (92 minutes running time), & manicured as a putting green on a championship golf course! The characters in this film are actually intelligent, as these things go. Not just Dino bait.

Sam Neil returns as Dr Alan Grant, being scammed in to finding the lost son of Paul Kirby, played be William H Macy & Amanda Kirby, played by Tea Leoni. The son Erik was hang gliding from a boat with Amanda's boyfriend when trouble strikes, & the two had to glide in to Isla Sorna for safety. They were hang gliding to see dinosaurs, & boy, did they get to see dinosaurs, as both were marooned on the island. Very shortly the boyfriend is killed, leaving Erik to fend for his self.

"Jurassic Park III" is an action packed 92 minutes of dinosaur delight. Several new dinosaurs pop up here, especially one giant, nasty, persistent, Spinosaurus, who has acquired a taste for human flesh. Spinosaurus is the largest land predator ever to live, even a tad bigger than T-Rex! Speaking of Spinosaurus & T-Rex, we get a great fight scene between the two early on, though to short, it kicked major dino butt! As a matter of fact, whether it's the Spinosaur, Raptors, or Pterodactls, this movie just does not quit, as one narrow escape, follows another. I have to admit, the Spinosaurus was as good as the T-Rex in the first "Jurassic Park," it was relentless! The final scene was phenomenal!

Though this film was not as well thought out, or should I say, as complexly plotted as the first "Jurassic Park" film, it's not meant to be. This is a rescue film of such simplicity, it's beautiful. Were all here to get Dino action, & we get all that & more. A great survival film that has been maligned for all the wrong reasons, this is a true "Jurassic Park film!

The Blu-ray is exceptional, as is the whole Jurassic Park" trilogy. Worth the upgrade!

"Jurassic Park III" 2001

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnMMM9-p-Sc

I like your reviews. You put a lot of thought and effort behind them and it shows. Keep it up.