No, I don’t have any updates on the PRESSURE movie, but here’s some stuff I’ve watched recently.
First of all, I realized that I never talked about the 3 of the 8 Films To Die For that I saw, so let’s start with those:
THE REEDS – Loved it! I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when the supernatural element was introduced, because I was more interested in seeing a “motorboat gets stuck with psycho killer kids in the area” movie, but I got over that quickly and it was all very creepy and well-done. Much of the film was spent desperately hoping that the revelation of what was really happening wouldn’t suck, and it didn’t.
ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION – I’m all in favor of zombie comedies, but this one looked like complete crap from the preview. But–surprise–it’s a darn good movie. There are some gore gags we’ve seen a million times before and a couple that we haven’t, but its strengths are the characters (yeah, I was surprised too) and the satire. It’s not SUBTLE satire (note the title) but genuinely funny.
KILL THEORY – A bunch of college friends trapped in a large house. If one is alive three hours from now, that person will be allowed to leave. If more than one is alive…they all die! I absolutely loved this movie. If you can go with the fact that the killer can be wherever he needs to be at any given moment, this movie works from beginning to end. Directed by Chris Moore of Project Greenlight, a show that really needs a fourth season.
So, three for three on the 8 Films To Die For. Sweet.
THE WOLFMAN – The serious, dramatic stuff doesn’t work at all, but this movie does provide its share of bloody werewolf action. I’m pretty sure they were striving for more than cheap B-movie thrills, but, hey, failing that I’ll take the cheap B-movie thrills, most notably a wonderful moment that screams for somebody to announce “Get ready to ruuuuuuuuumble!!!”
THE COVENANT – I don’t remember the circumstances that resulted in my acquiring this DVD. It was either so cheap that I thought “Hey, how bad can it be for $1.99?” or my brother-in-law gave it to me. Total crap. There was a hilariously bad dialogue exchange that I wanted to share here, but I forgot it.
HARD BOILED – Okay…let’s go way back to November 2008, when QUANTUM OF SOLACE opened in theatres. It featured that awful modern action movie editing, where you can’t tell what’s happening. I walked out of the theatre desperately wanting to see some GOOD action sequences, so I put HARD BOILED, one of John Woo’s Hong Kong flicks, on my Netflix queue. One year and three months later, I finally watched it, and all I can say is “YES!!!” Also: “Whoa! Did that movie set a record for highest body count in an action movie?” I’ve seen most of John Woo’s American movies, but this was his first Hong Kong movie I’d seen, for which I am suitably ashamed.
MIRACLE MILE – A movie that’s been on my Netflix queue forever, after a discussion of “most disturbing movies.” The heavy-duty 1980’s clothing and hair are distracting, and there’s some really stupid stuff in here, but the movie is still chilling and effective, particularly the finale. Anthony Edwards answers a ringing pay phone and accidentally discovers that nuclear war may break out in 50 minutes. Not a happy cheery lovey feel-good movie.
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND – I wanted to see this when it played in theatres and never did, and I got the DVD for something like $3.99 at Best Buy, and didn’t watch it until Valentine’s Day. In the canon of Charlie Kaufman screenplays, it’s weirder than ADAPTATION but less weird than BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and SYNEDOCHE, NEW YORK. That makes it very, very weird. I was inspired to watch it by seeing it on a bunch of “Best of the Decade” lists, but I can’t rank it much higher than “pretty darn good.”
WEEDS: SEASON ONE – Several people told me that I’d love this show, and they were right.
Also, while cleaning the house I re-watched PLANET TERROR from GRINDHOUSE. Has there ever been a movie this shamelessly entertaining? I think not.
Gleefully Macabre 