sanmentolabs Reviews

Immortal (2004)

Great cyberpunk style flick right out of Metal Hurlant and Heavy Metal magazines

[8/10 · 30 January 2023]

If you've read Metal Hurlant or Heavy Metal, you know the name Enki Bilal, a superb artist who created memorable stories in those magazines such as Exterminator 17 and of course, the Nikopol trilogy which this movie is based upon. The year is 2095 and Eugenics have made a totalitarian style mess of the future. This is a subject that few cover and should be covered more as the idea of eugenics was popularized through people like Hitler and Margaret Saenger who created Planned Parenthood. It is very much with us in this high tech world today with people more than happy to usher in a "master race" by making their own children as genetically perfect as possible. It's coming, and very soon. But this is a small part of the concept. Horus is stirring up mischief on planet earth as well, and our lead character who was imprisoned for his activisim against eugenics is about have a life altering run-in with the Egyptian god. Great acting all around, very interesting cyberpunk style backdrop and story line. Too bad this didn't do better in the U. S.

Dante 01 (2008)

Very good Metal Hurlant - Heavy Metal style sci-fi movie

[8/10 · 30 January 2023]

Much like Enki Bilal's excellent 2004 film IMMORTAL, Marc Caro's (early Metal Hurlant artist and collaborator with Jeunet on a few films including Alien: Resurrection) DANTE 01 did not get much if any traction in the U. S. It's too bad because it's much better than most of the garbage being passed off for science fiction these days, including bloated big budget Hollywood tripe. After watching it I searched for the blu-ray but only found a DVD release by Dimension Extreme(?) so I bought it. If you're a Heavy Metal fan, you'll want this in your collection along with Immortal.

The premise is simple: A new prisoner and scientist are dropped off at a prison ship floating around the planet Dante. This prisoner is mysterious and has unusual powers and soon the entire prison ship including the staff and it's other prisoners are on a collision course with destiny. Solid science fiction, interesting religious overtones, good effects, good acting, etc.

Final Faction (2020– )

Great 1980's style fun

[9/10 · 2 November 2022]

If you love 1980s style action - sci-fi comic books and action figures, you will love Final Faction. Available through Dollar Tree, these figures are amazing for the price and the animated videos are quite good. A third episode should be released shortly according to the creators.

I first bought the comic book and was pretty impressed at 1.25 at dollar tree. It's only 20 pages but still better than any new Marvel/DC stuff I've read. I know that's not saying much but when you add in the impressive and very inexpensive action figure line along with these videos they are doing, Final Faction is a step ahead of the pack!

Last Seen Alive (2022)

Rip Off of the Dutch Film The Vanishing

[2/10 · 14 August 2022]

Not only is this mess of a movie riddled with many plot holes, it seems to me like a rip off of the 1988 Dutch film The Vanishing which was remade in the U. S. in 1993 starring Jeff Bridges.

The characters are not compelling, the police are badly stereotyped, and the bad guys are painfully obvious. Total waste of time.

Geek War (2010)

Funny, Sick, Romantic and Geeky

[9/10 · 26 July 2022]

Geek War is currently on TUBI and you should really drop what you're doing and watch this film. It delivers on nearly every level.

The acting is awesome, the script is great, and I laughed out loud at least a dozen times throughout the flick. That is rare. See this movie.

Pig (I) (2021)

Good film, Cage is awesome

[8/10 · 10 June 2022]

While it's all Portland slow and weird, Nic Cage delivers such a great performance that, like in many other recent films he's been in, he carries Pig to heights it wouldn't have attained without his casting.

Surely Oscar worthy performance (for what that's worth these days) if you want to see great acting, watch Pig.

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993–1994)

Brilliant Family Friendly Pulp Style Western

[10/10 · 10 June 2022]

I just watched this for the first time on Tubi and it is one of the best western series I've ever seen.

Perfectly cast, all of the actors are spot on, the writing is great with a lot of hilarious little jokes (Hondo Accord lol).

Great action, very little blood, just classic weird pulp style western fun for the whole family. Highly recommended.

T-34 (2018)

Really Cool War Flick with Exciting Tank Battles

[8/10 · 9 April 2022]

If you like WW2 flicks, you must see T-34. It's not as huge in scale as "Dunkirk" for example, but it is riveting and engrossing nonetheless.

Let's face it, anytime Nazis are getting their butts kicked is a good time at the cinema!

Alexander Petrov is excellent. Watch this film then watch his series GOGOL. I had to do a triple take to make sure it was him. Great actor.

Gogol (2017–2019)

Excellent dark fantasy/mystery series

[8/10 · 9 April 2022]

I found this by accident on youtube. Look for Janson Media, they have a lot of great Russian/east euro films and series.

Gogol is an excellent kind of supernatural mystery series that has the ambience of Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow but much more bizarre and involved. Great acting, effects, cinematography, direction. Highly recommended.

Spacewalk (2017)

Another great Russian space race movie

[8/10 · 20 February 2022]

The Russians are nearly batting 1000 with their "space race" film. Spacewalk and Salyut 7 are 2017 releases from Russia and they are must-see cinema, not only for the production values but for the historical significance.

Salyut-7 (2017)

Great film and an amazing piece of history.

[8/10 · 20 February 2022]

Typically, the Russians know how to make an awesome "space race" film and Salyut-7 is no exception. Great script, great acting, great effects - this film shows the almost insane bravery of the cosmonauts as they race against time with about a 0% chance of making it out alive. Highly recommended.

Risen (2021)

Interesting premise quickly becomes comedic cringe

[2/10 · 20 February 2022]

I watched (part of) Risen on Tubi and I'm very glad I didn't pay to rent it. The film looks good, the acting and effects were decent, and the story moved along well up to a scene that had me rolling my eyes for about 5 minues.

A meteor crashes near a farm house in a small town. Everyone in the town dies and the govt. Is well aware that there could be an airborne alien pathogen in the area. Check.

They bus in a couple of experts donned in hazmat type suits. Check.

They bring a dead body back to the lab to perform an autopsy. Check.

The doctors performing the autopsy have plastic sneeze guards over their faces. No hazmat, no special breathing apparatus to protect them from whatever the hell they are being exposed to in the room with this infected corpse. They proceed to cut open the corpse, black liquid pours out, then retreats back into the body. Corpse "comes back to life" and sits up.

Doctor slowly walks over to TAKE ITS PULSE.

CHECK PLEASE.

I stopped watching the film at this point. It's like the writer(s) were taking their logic pills then someone lost the bottle. If I want to be tortured, I'll pay a hot dominatrix like anyone else.

My Man Godfrey (1936)

Way up on the totem poll of comedy

[9/10 · 2 December 2021]

Powell and Lombard are insanely good in this film. The comedic timing between them and other cast members is fantastic.

The other great thing about this film is it's real examination of humanity. Class divides and the way elites perceive anything below their level is brilliantly addressed in this film without hitting you on the head with it.

Highly recommended, truly one of the comedy greats.

The Wizard of Gore (2007)

A great hot mess of cinema

[6/10 · 2 December 2021]

Sure it's all over the shop, but this remake of Wizard of Gore has got a lot going for it.

Crispin Glover's performance is EXCELLENT. I loved every minute of it.

The special effects are generally very good.

The cinematography and sets are fantastic.

Even though it's kind of a hot mess, Wizard of Gore had a lot of forethought put into it and I for one plan on seeing it again.

Tess of the D'Urbervilles (1998 TV Movie)

People were definitely stupid back in the day

[4/10 · 2 December 2021]

While it's no secret that we've entered into a new dark age of stupidity, it is comforting to see that people did the same dumb stuff way back when and even writers like Hardy used bad plot devices to make things happen in a convenient manner.

I mean, come on. The note under the door. The whole stabby plot device at the end. In reality, the character of Tess was rather dim in the way that her world was built around falling in love, being in love, getting married, or some such bollocks.

All in all, a shallow and pointless exercise with great cinematography and period piece settings.

Hard to Be a God (2013)

Another rare bad Russian SF film

[2/10 · 19 June 2021]

SPOILERS Scientists/astronauts capable of intersellar travel land on a planet where people live in medieval squalor.

They're not supposed to mess with the inhabitants, so what do they do? Totally mess with the inhabitants.

They also just decide to live in squalor for the rest of their lives with these people? What the hell?

A cringeworthy, completely unrealistic take on interplanetary travel and exploration.

Superdeep (2020)

Now we know that Russian science fiction can be bad

[4/10 · 19 June 2021]

I've always generally liked Russian SF both in book and movie form. Tarkovsky's Stalker and of course Solaris come to mind. Even the recent Sputnik was interesting though flawed but The Superdeep got me wanting to jump into the film and slap around a few characters more than once.

It's that kind of bad slasher movie writing where characters who should know better constantly do things that make no sense whatsoever and in this case they're very dramatic about it in that stoic Russian manner.

The sets were great, the special make up effects were very good. It's worth watching but you might want to consider a tranquilizer.

And btw, the Kola borehole is about 8 inches in diameter. It's literally a smallish hole drilled into the earth.

Domino (I) (2019)

Good crime thriller takes aim at ISIS

[7/10 · 11 June 2021]

While not De Palma's best by any means, I'd rate Domino up there with Snake Eyes in his crime thriller repertoire. There is no doubt that Domino got buried because of the Islamic terror theme. In the current clown world ISIS is somehow cool and De Palma is having none of it. The terrorists are despicable and some of the graphic scenes are pulled right from grim reports of brutal decapitations carried out by these subhuman thugs.

As for people somehow complaining about the soundtrack, it is a signature of De Palma's style and I would suggest combatting your ignorance by learning a bit of film history and seeing more De Palma films.

Madness in the Method (2019)

Better than Clerks 2, Mallrats

[8/10 · 23 May 2021]

Reading some of the reviews here, it is apparent that some people are taking Madness in the Method at face value which is a big mistake.

Satire takes no prisoners and Jason Mewes along with writers Dominic Burns and Chris Anastasi nail it with this hilarious and rather vicious look at the Hollywood underbelly. Yes, Mewes plays a sociopath to the core and it is hilarious.

Gina Carano, Dean Cain, Kevin Smith, Brian O'Halloran and the fabulous Danny Trejo among others are freaking great. The choreographed dance sequence is sublime and should have been longer.

Funny as hell, highly recommended.

They Remain (2018)

Artsy schmalze that ignores logic

[2/10 · 19 May 2021]

For a couple of supposed scientists, these people act like eggheads from a low budget slasher flick. A few things happen that make you shake your head, enough to destroy the old "suspension of disbelief" concept. The funny thing is, they "act" like someone's version of scientists. Cold, blunt, sour humor et al, but the characters are just too stupid.

Example: She hears knocking at her door at night and thinks it is the other scientist, or at least blames him for it. Apparently, when it's happening she just sits there and listens to it...? No intercoms between the cabins?

Really cool geodesic dome structures btw, definitely the best thing about this film.

There are various happenings followed by vague ideas without action and when something major happens, it doesn't carry a lot of weight because there's nothing behind it.

I, Robot (2004)

The curse of Will Smith

[1/10 · 28 April 2021]

Granted, It's not Will Smith's fault but he has been in two bad adaptations - I am Legend and I Robot. The horrendous thread between the two consists of bloated budgets and atrocious CGI. In I am Legend, the creatures look like something from a cheap video game and in I Robot the titular robots suggest that the portion of the mega budget to be used for special effects ended up being snorted by said FX crew. Someone should have gone to jail for even suggested that it was vaguely based on Asimov's book. Harlan Ellison wrote the best screenplay for the novel in the 70s, and instead, the dimwit executives at 20th Century Fox bought a 5 dollar script for a 120 million dollar film.

The Boneyard (1991)

"Children turned into zombies" NOT

[8/10 · 27 April 2021]

I don't know who wrote the description but the children are not turned into zombies, it's something much more sinister than a lame zombie trope.

Unusual yet great cast with comic legends Phyllis Diller and Norman Fell in a movie that is much more horror than comedy but it does have some hilarious moments.

Starts off slow but builds momentum and has some genuinely creepy scenes.

Those kids! Highly recommended.

Boogie (2009)

The classic Ralph Bakshi is smiling

[10/10 · 21 April 2021]

Not only is Boogie a highly entertaining animated film, it manages to be gloriously un-PC and never gives in. A lot of Bakshi influence with a dash of Sin City and some wonderfully over the top violence and gore that will make some scream and run and others scream and jump for joy. A must watch.

Run Hide Fight (2020)

Thought provoking and gutsy

[8/10 · 15 January 2021]

Excellent film, many thanks to the Daily Wire for premiering it. Well written "school shooter" film with some major differences. RUN HIDE FIGHT is exactly what it is. Pulls no punches, well written and well acted.

Dunkirk (2017)

Incredibly flat presentation

[2/10 · 9 August 2017]

The first thing I heard about this film was some moronic SJW uproar about "lack of diversity" aka too many white people in the film and not enough women or people of color. The leftist lunacy never ends. This made me want to support the film even more, so I rushed out and watched it. Sadly, I found the film incredibly flat, devoid of much power amid all the amazing scenes, cinematography and effects. It seemed to lack...direction, or perhaps it was bad editing, but unlike other recent war flicks like Hacksaw Ridge (which was great save the meaningless love angle) Dunkirk was just not very compelling. It was like watching a series of scenes which looked great but had no cohesion as a complete film. Also, the soundtrack was freaking horrible. More annoying than suspense building, the repetition of the "music" did nothing but make those scenes less dramatic.