Coffee_in_the_Clink Reviews

Napoleon (2023)

The tactician plays second fiddle to the obsessive lover

[6/10 · 24 November 2023]

I have mixed views coming out of this one. "Napoleon" was my most-anticipated film of the year. Ridley Scott has indeed produced a superb spectacle here. The cinematography is absolute class, and writer David Scarpa deserves credit, along with Scott, for managing to fit so much into a relatively short runtime, considering the film is covering events from the mid-1790s right up to the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The narrative, historically speaking, is decent.

The battle scenes, of course, are tremendous. The Battle of Waterloo is absolutely breath-taking, gorgeous and terrifying. Phoenix is incredible as Napoleon. Unfortunately, the tactician that Napoleon was plays second fiddle in this film to his love of Josephine and his turbulent relationship with her. Far too much time is devoted to it and it becomes very monotonous, and I felt it brought the film down a bit. But overall, I appreciated Phoenix's portrayal of Napoleon, and the battle scenes are worth the price of admission alone.

Batman & Robin (1997)

Does not deserve the hatred or reputation it has received

[5/10 · 24 November 2023]

I do not understand the hatred for this film, and that is coming from me watching it back-to-back with its Schumacher counterpart "Batman Forever". "Batman and Robin" is the superior of the two, in my opinion, and I really found it to be enjoyable. Sure, it is cheesy and camp as hell, but it has a better storyline than "...Forever" and two better-looking villains in Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze.

George Clooney replaced Val Kilmer as Batman and Chris O'Donnell reprised his role as Robin. O'Donnell toned down the attitude in this one, so I did not find him as irritating as he was in "...Forever". I'll say it, Clooney makes a decent Batman and Bruce Wayne here. Better than Kilmer's indifferent performance in "...Forever." Michael Gough reprises his role as Alfred and there are a few emotional scenes that are surprisingly well-done. Uma Thurman and Arnie are very enjoyable to watch.

"Batman and Robin" is not a terrible movie, and does not deserve its reputation. It is by no means a good movie either, but I would rank it above "...Forever" any day of the week.

Batman Forever (1995)

Headache-inducing

[3/10 · 23 November 2023]

Warner Brothers decided to change the look of the Batman films following "Batman Returns", and signed up Joel Schumacher to direct. Tim Burton stayed on as a producer, and what followed was nothing short of a travesty.

In "Batman" and "Batman Returns" Tim Burton had rendered Gotham City as a sinister gothic stage. The villains Joker and Penguin were dark and wicked and although Michael Keaton is my least favourite Batman, he was nevertheless a decent portrayal of the Dark Knight. All of that was changed for 1995's "Batman Forever". Schumacher renders Gotham as it would appear in the comic books of the 1960s - flashing neon lights, bright colours and vividly flamboyant - it is a treat for the eyes that eventually becomes exhausting and headache-inducing.

This time around Batman (Val Kilmer, in a portrayal of Batman that is neither bad nor good) is up against Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and the Riddler (Jim Carrey). Jones is completely miscast and his Two-Face is hard to take seriously. Jim Carrey, true to form, becomes extremely irritating before long and adds to the nausea of the neon lights. Just as irritating is the Robin portrayed by Chris O'Donnell, who we are introduced to in what is probably the best scene in the film in a well-choreographed trapeze performance in the circus. For what it is worth, I think this is worse than "Batman and Robin", its much-maligned successor.

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

A killer on the loose is the least of your worries at this camp

[7/10 · 17 November 2023]

This is a very fun and twisted horror film with such excellent profanity and nastiness. I don't mean nastiness as in gore and violence, but rather the cut-your-heart out world of teenagers is vividly displayed here. I am not exaggerating when I say that there must be an argument or fight at least once a minute in this movie. And there are some excellent verbal take-downs ("She's a carpenter's dream, flat as a board, and needs a good screw!")

Of course, one cannot write a review of this movie without mentioning the infamous ending. No spoilers here, but I for one can say that I did not see it coming. It shocked me. It really did. "Sleepaway Camp" is a little gem from the massive sludge-pile that is straight-to-video horror from the 1980s.

The Forgotten (2003)

A rarely seen film about a forgotten war

[7/10 · 16 November 2023]

Two American tanks become isolated from the main push into North Korea in 1950. This film follows Corporal Byrne as he attempts to keep his men together, and ultimately survive.

I am the first person to review this film here in twelve years, so that is testament to just how rarely seen this Korean War film is. Vincente Stasolla wrote and directed it. Twenty years later and it remains his only film. I found this film as a teenager when it was a relatively new release. I watched it about two or three times, and I have only got around to it again this week, but I never forgot it. I was eager to watch it again with a mature (weathered, perhaps) pair of eyes. It still remains a haunting picture, but this time around I was able to appreciate what the film achieved on its tiny budget.

The attention to detail is superb. Stasolla did not have the money for major battle scenes, or scale. Instead he was able to put the money into the small aspects, such as uniforms, weapons and the two brilliant tanks that he acquired, allowing the action to take place within the tight and sweaty confines of the tank, evoking the tension and horror of every other tank movie you have ever seen.

The influence of "The Thin Red Line" (1998) on the flashback and dream sequences is undeniable. But "The Thin Red Line" was itself influenced by an earlier war picture, "Beach Red" from 1967. The low-budget and the colourised dream and memory sequences lend the film a strong surreal and dreamlike quality.

Breakout (1959)

Officer priviledges

[6/10 · 13 November 2023]

This virtually forgotten British WW2 POW thriller is set in Italy in 1943. An officer's camp of around four-hundred men is under the command of a sadistic Italian general, who delights in discovering the breakout plans of the Allied POWs through his informants, as it allows him to wait for the escape that gives him the excuse to kill the men, rather than stopping it at source. This thriller moves along at a nice pace. It suffers from being a tad lifeless, in the cinematography and directing, but the performances are stellar, as is the writing and character development. A very young Michael Caine makes an appearance towards the end.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981 TV Movie)

A fine Halloween season flick

[6/10 · 7 November 2023]

A sleazy postman leads a gang of vigilantes to hunt down and kill a mentally-challenged man, after they hear that he has murdered a young girl. It turns out to be a mistake. The men are acquited of his murder, after they stage it to look like self-defense. But during the Halloween season, the men begin to be picked off one-by-one in mysterious circumstances.

"Dark Night of the Scarecrow" is a very popular film and it has made a revival in recent years, following its release on TV in 1981. Often hailed as a "gem", the film boasts some fine cinematography and directing, along with a solid performance from Charles Durning as the postman and main villain, I suppose you could say. He is a brilliant villain. Durning was a highly prolific acting and was nominated twice for an Oscar during his career. He was also a WW2 veteran - decorated for bravery and he fought from D-Day onwards.

While I can't say this film is as endearing to me as it is to others, I really enjoyed it, and was surprised by its quality. It is worth watching.

The Invisible Man Returns (1940)

The same tricks and not much else

[4/10 · 4 November 2023]

"The Invisible Man", one of Universal's original Monster movies, is a landmark film for its special effects, and thoroughly enjoyable for its tight story, claustrophobic setting and performances. Following the success of "Son of Frankenstein", it was probably inevitable that Universal would look to reinvent another one of its original classics.

"The Invisible Man" received similar treatment shortly after. Starring a young Vincent Price as the titular villain, the sequel, like its predecessor, received acclaim for its excellent special effects. These still hold up on a viewing today, but frankly I found them to be stale the second time around. The film was clearly made to flog its brilliant special effects once again. There is not much else to this one. The villain is nowhere near as interesting or dastardly as the original, and neither is the story. The invisible tricks had all been done already, and this sequel just rehashes them. Unlike its predecessor, "The Invisible Man Returns" just does not have the same quality, as the story is dull and uninteresting. It is a stale reboot, more than anything.

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

A man battles with his irrational subconscious guilt, on his journey home

[7/10 · 1 November 2023]

Ari Aster's "Hereditary" ranks as one of the best horror films of all time for me, and I rank "Beau Is Afraid" in between it and "Midsommar".

Aster's third outing is poetry and philosphy on screen. Beautifully shot, and although it's narrative meanders and tests the limits of the viewer's patience, its grip is relentless. Joaquin Phoenix has long been praised as one of the finest actors of his generation, and he continues to push his boundaries and try different things. Needless to say, he is mesmerising here.

"Beau Is Afraid" has been shunned by the market, and that is little surprise, in today's world. It challenged me; I struggled at points, but as previously stated, its grip on the viewer is uncompromising, and I could not look away. The three-hour runtime felt like thirty minutes. There is little point in recommending it. Those who can comprehend it, and will enjoy it, will be drawn to it regardless. As for everyone else, it is their loss.

The Video Dead (1987 Video)

"It's only fair that I get to use the chainsaw!"

[6/10 · 31 October 2023]

Rocky Duvall, where are you now?

An interesting one for this Halloween. "The Video Dead" is a low-budget and innovative take on the zombie genre. Blatantly inspired by "Night of the Living Dead" and "The Evil Dead", this was filmed on weekends and features a cast of mostly amateurs. It is very enjoyable and extremely whacky. A brother and sister move into a new house and while waiting on their parents to arrive home from Saudi Arabia, Jeff discovers an old TV in the attic. But this is not just any old TV. It caused the death of the house's previous occupant. When turned on, the TV plays a zombie movie. But it is not just any old zombie movie... these zombies come out of the TV, and kill. Fairly soon, Jeff finds himself in trouble, as the zombies are now out and roaming in the woods next to him. It is up to a Texan named Joshua Daniels, who inexplicably knows what's going on with the TV and the zombies, to save Jeff.

This will be much appreciated for any fans of B-horror films. The gore is decent, and I thought that the zombie make-up is quite good. Young Rocky Duvall is great fun to watch here, as he delivers the crazy dialogue, bouncing off Mr. Daniel's. Duval never starred in anything else after this, it seems, but he can look back on this fondly I'm sure. Along with the inane dialogue, there is also a lot of randomness, courtesy of the non-existent and illogical script. But again, if you enjoy these sort of films, like I do, then you will really enjoy it.

Uncle Sam (1996 Video)

Draft-dodgers, anthem butchers, flag burners - Beware!

[6/10 · 31 October 2023]

Soldier Sam Harper is killed by friendly fire during Desert Storm in 1991. A few years later and his body is found and returned to his family, in a good old American town. His 'grieving' widow seems to have been more concerned by the prospect of him returning home alive. His sister is traumatised by the legacy of abuse he left behind in their childhood home... while his nephew Jody (Christopher Ogden in a decent performance) has a shrine made for him on his bedside locker, complete with his uncle's Purple Heart from Panama in the '80s.

All Jody wants to do when he grows up is become a soldier like his uncle. His uncle Sam was a hero in his eyes. But his dead uncle soon rises from his casket, to go on a killing spree in the small-town on the fourth of July. He dons an Uncle Sam costume, and on his kill-list are old draft-dodgers, corrupt politicians and anyone who dares to disrespect the flag or national anthem on this Independence day.

If "Uncle Sam" had had a bigger budget, and some more competence behind the camera, then this sure would have been a better loved film. It sure has an irresistible killer - something that many films of its ilk do not get right. The Uncle Sam costume is wicked looking, and watching Sam stalk about the background of the festivities on the fourth of July is the film's strongest point. It is very unique, and the film has the patent on that concept.

I enjoyed the attention to military details. The Purple Heart medal in the locker under Jody's bed, and the conversations that he has with the Korean War veteran Jed (none other than Isaac Hayes - Chef from "South Park"). The pacing of the film is decent, and a good effort was made on the small-budget. It might have done with a few more kills, but overall, this little slasher gets my vote, and I would watch it again.

Street Trash (1987)

"I'd like to know what you're doing with all that chicken in your pants!"

[5/10 · 22 October 2023]

What I like about "Street Trash" is its attitude and fearlessness. These guys just did not care. They were making a movie on zero-budget and still trying to have as much gore and shock-horror as they could make. They succeeded. It is absolutely mental...

Down one of the backstreets your mother told you to stay away from, take a left and you'll find yourself on the corner of wherever in the hell this film takes place. There is a liquor store and a junkyard, and a whole lot of crazy. There is a hobo infestation in this part of town, and they keep the drink-store in business. A disturbed Vietnam War veteran named Bronson has set himself up as King of the hobos in the local junkyard. They are a formidable gang, until the proprietor of the local liquor store comes across an old crate full of bottles of "Viper", some strange beverage, that he decides to sell for a dollar a bottle.

The hobos love it... but for some reason, they don't come back the next day. A wonderfully unhinged cop - who is like a cross between an action hero, a mafia hitman and a serial killer - is on the case, and meanwhile, in the junkyard, the hobos slowly being picked off one-by-one by the new "Viper" drink, fight amongst themselves and terrorise anyone who passes by. One of them finds himself in bother when he messes with the wrong woman - the girlfriend of a gangster - and this all comes to a head as this misadventure soon involves the unhinged cop.

For a low-budget, the gore and look of this film is quite good. It does not have that cheap looking or grainy camera-work. So the cinematography is good in that regard as it is well-shot. That acting is what you would expect, but I have to give mention to Bill Chepil as the unhinged cop. I really enjoyed his performance. Unfortunately, he was never in anything before, or after this film. This is his one acting credit, at least according to IMDb.

Dog Eat Dog (I) (2016)

A meandering odyssey through the depths of disorganised crime

[3/10 · 22 October 2023]

I had high expectations for this film, having read the novel it is based on by Edward Bunker years ago. He also wrote the novel which the film "Animal Factory" was based on, also starring Willem Dafoe. The opening fifteen minutes of "Dog Eat Dog" set this up for a wild ride. It was brutal, nasty and showcased the best of Willem Dafoe going crazy. But the film really peaks there and then. It was nothing but downhill from that point.

Three criminals, Troy, Mad Dog and Diesel, have been close friends and associates for years. Having all finished serving their latest sentences in the penitentiary, the trio are back together and looking to pull off one final score that might set them up for life. But the stakes could not be any higher - the three men all have two strikes, and one more felony will send them away for the rest of their lives. Getting apprehended will not be an option.

I like Nicholas Cage, and I love Willem Dafoe, so I was looking forward to this even more seeing the pair of them work together. It was flat, dull, and they did not have the chemistry I believed they would. Dafoe is still brilliant, but what ultimately sinks the film is its meandering, senseless trudge through random scenes of disorganised crime. One scene after another fails to add anything to the characters, or the story. It drags along, and I found myself distracted and close to turning the it off multiple times. Schrader directs it like a series of short films. There is no life in it at all, and the charisma and power so evident in the novel is absent. That was all clearly lost in the transition from novel to screenplay. I had some interest in the film from reading the novel, but for anyone else watching, I can imagine their frustration and boredom.

The Mist (2007)

Nerve-wrecking tension, with one of the greatest - and most shocking - endings in history

[9/10 · 18 October 2023]

Frank Darabont brought "The Shawshank Redemption" and the "The Green Mile" to the screen in the 1990s. The former is considered one of the greatest films ever made, while "The Green Mile", in my opinion, is superior.

With "The Mist", Darabont brings another Stephen King novella to the screen. This one containing one of the most shocking endings in cinema history. Apparently, Darabont had to insist on his scripted ending being the one that the studio backed. Just as well he stuck to his guns.

"The Mist" follows a "Night of the Living Dead" formula where a bunch of strangers are forced to band together in a claustrophobic setting, a supermarket, in this instance, in the wake of some apocalyptic event, which in this film is a mysterious fog containing blood-thirsty creatures. The superbly written characters are brought to life by a solid cast, which includes top performances from Frank Darabont regular William Sadler, Thomas Jane, Toby Jones, Laurie Holden and Marcia Gay Harden, backed by Jeffrey DeMunn and Andre Braugher. I list most of the cast because they are all truly brilliant and make this so enjoyable on repeated viewings.

Darabont directs a highly tense and vicious horror film with some exceptional scenes that linger. And then there is that superb, stomach-punch of an ending.

The Tin Star (1957)

Superb Western, featuring an irresistable line-up of Fonda, Perkens and Brand

[9/10 · 18 October 2023]

Anthony Mann directs a line-up of Henry Fonda, Anthony Perkins and Neville Brand in 1957's "The Thin Star", nominated for one Academy Award for Best Screenplay.

Perkins is Sheriff Owens, a young and meek Sheriff in a small town on the frontier, who is tested by mean men and finds himself often paralysed for a moral resolve to never kill a man, but take him alive. Henry Fonda is Morg Hickman, a bounty hunter who arrives in the small town with the dead body of a wanted man, looking to collect his award. While waiting for his money to come through, Hickman can't help but notice how the young Sheriff is vulnerable, especially in the presence of the gruff and sneering Borgadus (Neville Brand), who happens to be a cousin of the man Hickman brought in dead. It transpires that Hickman used to be sheriff himself, before he turned to bounty hunting, and he can't help but post-pone his travelling plans in order to stay around town a little while longer, and teach young Sheriff Owens a thing or two.

Anthony Mann makes this one of the best westerns of the era, with such strong directing, building every scene , and expertly choreographing the action that unfolds. Fonda is perfect, as always, and Perkins is superb as Sheriff Owens, predating his legendary performance as Norman Bates by about three years. Decorated World War Two veteran Neville Brand is always a favourite of mine to watch, and he delivers the necessary goods as the main villain, who is jealous of the badge.

The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory (1987 TV Movie)

"I didn't survive Russia and Waterloo to die in the desert."

[6/10 · 16 October 2023]

... declares the Frenchman Lewis Rose. He fought under Napoleon, and now he finds himself in Texas in 1836, in the army of Texas.

A made-for-tv version of the Alamo, filmed at the Alamo Village, the same film location constructed for John Wayne's 1960 film.

Clocking in at nearly two -and-a-half hours long, this 1987 version takes its time and presents a clear picture of the background to the Alamo. For people like me - a history buff, but with no knowledge of the Texan Revolution or what the Alamo was about - I found that I understood more about the history by the end of the film, and did not feel lost at any point. In this regard, the film does a good job.

As it is a TV movie, the film suffers when it comes to scale and special effects. It looks like it was made in the 1970s, and the blending of stock footage from an earlier film - "The Lost Command" from 1955, I believe - can be distracting at times. The acting is solid. A very baby-faced Alec Baldwin is strong in one of the leads as Colonel William Travis. But I thought that Brian Keith stole the show as the legendary Davie Crockett, followed closely by the superb Raul Julia as the commander of the Mexican army, General de Santa Ana. He strikes fear into the viewer in the scenes where he berates his subordinates.

Overall, the film naturally suffers from some of its made-for-TV tropes and low-budget, but when looking beyond that, it is an informative introduction to the Texan Revolution and very entertaining. Also, it is a far-sight better than John Wayne's 1960 version.

The Ghoul (1933)

"That's the last time I ever try to make coffee in a strange house!"

[1/10 · 16 October 2023]

An example of the inane dialogue in the film...

The story behind this film is a far-sight more interesting than the film itself. It is often lauded as the first British-made horror film, and it does appear to be the first one made in Britain in sound, at least. It was the first time that Boris Karloff had been back home in Britain, following twenty years or so in the States. The film was considered lost for decades, until a poor quality version of it was discovered in Eastern Europe. That was it for years, and cinephiles had to make do with that version. But then a forgotten vault was discovered at Shepperton studios in England in the 1980s, and a better quality version of the film was found. But had it never been found, we would not have been missing much...

Cinematographer Gunther Krampft shot the film. He also shot the masterpiece "Nosferatu", over ten years previous to this. While watching "The Ghoul", in between moments of fighting to stay awake and interested, the film reminded me of "Nosferatu" in some interior shots, by the use of shadows and set decoration. The black-and-white photography looks class, and it is little wonder when you see who the man was behind it. Just a pity about everything else in the film.

A make-up heavy Karloff has very little to do. The rest of the cast are a strange, quirky mix, but they fail to keep the film together, with a script and direction that is unmercifully dull.

Backdraft (1991)

"Top Gun" for firemen

[4/10 · 16 October 2023]

Ron Howard directs this star-studded and stunt-laden spectacle, about two bickering firefighter brothers in Chicago coming up against a wave of arson attacks in the city. Kurt Russell and William Baldwin are the brothers, and they are backed by a star-studded supporting cast that includes Donald Sutherland and Robert de Niro.

The special effects are excellent, and the fire scenes are very exciting to watch. But the film is overlong and the story just does not maintain interest. The twist, turns and revelations were very poor as the plot developed, and then climaxed. It is a darker "Top Gun", for firemen, but it does not come together.

American Fright Fest (2018)

Dylan Walsh steals the show

[6/10 · 14 October 2023]

The mayor of Sommerton is out of favour in the recent polls. What better way to win back his popularity this Halloween than to organise a fright fest for the town? The 'deadbeat;, alcoholic, misanthrophic and drug-addled horror director Spencer Crowe (Dylan Walsh) is recruited to set it up and run it for the town. The mayor has the connections to get him off his latest DUI, so Crowe needs to deliver. Crowe sets himself in the control room of the local abandoned asylum, puts his minions to work, and opens the doors to Sommerton. But a bus transporting the criminally insane ends up on the side of the road outside the town, and a vicious killer ends up at the fright fest and runs amok...

Cheap gore, over-the-top characters and performances, sharp dialogue and an absolutely insane atmosphere, make this a very enjoyable film. I really enjoyed Dylan Walsh's performance, and thought that he really made the film. The writing is the film's strongest point, at least when it comes to the dialogue. Not that it is by any means Oscar-worthy, but for what it is, "American Fright Fest" more than delivers. It is typical low-budget fare; there are plenty of kills and enough going on to make the film run nicely. The gore is cheap but plentiful. The ending is a let down, as many others have stated here, but I really enjoyed it for its dark humour and the misfit characters.

The Creator (2023)

A beautiful film, unfortunately not receiving the attention it deserves

[8/10 · 11 October 2023]

Director Gareth Edwards will be a hailed a film-making prodigy one day for this incredibly beautiful piece of science fiction. It is unfortunate that his film is not taking in the praise, or the money, that it deserves just yet.

Reports indicate that Edwards has approached this film in a rather revolutionary way. It is a sci-fi epic, made on a budget of only $80 million, thanks solely to his artistic decisions. And you would never have believed it. Put this next to "Avatar", and you would believe it was made on the same budget.

The visuals in "The Creator" are absolutely stunning, and demand to be seen on a big screen. I was the only one in attendance and the daytime showing I went to, but it was the greatest visual experience, next to "The Batman", that I've had in the cinema since the end of the pandemic.

Set around the 2060s, we watch a newsreel as it explains the rise of artificial intelligence during the 21st century, and how it eventually took over as humans became reliant upon it. A nuclear explosion, blamed on the AI, wiped out Los Angeles, which prompted the USA to go to war against the technology. They hunted the last of it to New Asia. John David Washington is tasked with hunting down and destroying a new 'super weapon', but when he discovers it, he finds that it will not be so simple.

I can't recommend "The Creator" enough to everyone. Particularly science fiction fans. Essential viewing, and one of the best films of 2023.

To the Devil a Daughter (1976)

Hammer's infamous swansong is a mediocre affair

[5/10 · 9 October 2023]

The last horror film that Hammer would produce until its revival in the 21st century is a mediocre affair - a representation of its troubled production. This was the second novel of Dennis Wheatley that Hammer produced. The first one was "The Devil Rides Out" in 1968, which was a far superior film to this. Wheatley had been so proud of that film that he provided Hammer the rights to his novel "To the Devil a Daughter" absolutely free. Something that the cash-strapped studio badly needed by the mid 1970s.

It was to be the last... Wheatley was reportedly so frustrated by Hammer's adaptation of "To the Devil a Daughter" that he wrote an angry letter to Hammer, telling them that they would never be allowed film another one of his novels again. Christopher Wicking wrote the screenplay based on Wheatley's novel and deviated completely from the novel. But then his script was deemed inadequate, after filming had began, and the film continued without a script. While Wheatley was disgusted, and branded the end product obscene., Wicking, meanwhile, did not recognise the film he had written, which had been chopped and changed so much.

The film is a jumbled mess, and you can clearly see that it had trouble in production. Christopher Lee in 2002 stated that it was a decent film until the very end, which he believed to be obscene and poorly done. The ending is infamously one of the most anticlimactic in the history of horror film. To be honest, I was just glad it was over. There are some shocking moments that grant the film some kudos, namely the strange Devil foetus, or whatever it was, that appears near the end.

I can see, from reading the trivia here on IMDb and from watching the documentary about it (Yes, the film is that notorious that they even made a documentary - "To the Devil... The Death of Hammer" about how bad the experience was) that this film left an awful sour taste in the mouths of everybody involved, including Christopher Lee. It is a shame that this was the culmination of Hammer's horror.

Psycho (1960)

Janet Leigh steps into the shower, and cinema would change forever...

[10/10 · 6 October 2023]

That is how ground-breaking Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" was. Its influence on the horror genre is undeniable, and an argument for the irrevocable changes in film in general which it heralded can also be made. First, I will write about its influence on the horror genre. 1950s horror was dominated by the science-fiction horror. Horror is a microcosm of the fears of the generation from which it came, and in the 1950s, of course, you had the fear of nuclear war and the powers of atomic energy. Thus, you had sci-fi greats such as "Tarantula" and "Them!" from this decade, along with a wave of alien and UFO movies that were influential in their own way - "Forbidden Planet", "It! The Terror from Beyond Space" and countless more.

Then, " Psycho" came along in 1960 and completely blew audiences away. The monster was now a man. "Peeping Tom", coincidentally, was also released the same year and explored the similar theme, but it is Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece that is remembered and takes its place alongside the greatest films ever made. The shower scene has been explored in-depth in every review on every site, so I will not get into it. I will just say that it is still blood-chilling even today in 2023. But it is the psychological horror and exploration of insanity that is the most compelling for me in this film.

Altered (2006)

Should be more widely seen and discussed. Overlooked.

[8/10 · 1 October 2023]

Three men chase a creature through the woods. They capture it, and bring it to their friend Wyatt's home out in the wilderness. It turns out that these men have finally captured an extra-terrestrial - one of the species that abducted and tortured them many years ago, and they have been out in these woods planting traps and hunting for one for a very long time. Now, it is time for some revenge.

Wyatt has the sense to predict that if they kill this creature that it will lead to the end of mankind... so they decide to bring it back to where they captured it, and let it loose, in the morning when it is safe to leave Wyatt's compound. But with the aliens hunting them outside... and an inquisitive old dog of a sheriff sniffing around... can they survive the night?

A tense, atmospheric and gory horror film that has been overlooked, in my opinion. This is one of the better alien abduction movies, a subgenre that we, surprisingly, do not get many examples of. I really liked how the alien looked and the film is very creepy and tense throughout. The alien was a vicious creature and very well imagined. I really enjoyed the ending, and the whole theme of alien abduction, and the trauma relating to it, including people labelling the men as crazy, was handled very well.

Hero on the Front (2018)

A fine tribute to the Portugeuse soldiers of the Great War

[7/10 · 19 September 2023]

The Great War (1914-1918), or First World War, shattered Europe, and there is hardly a European today with ancestors that did not fight in it, or were at the very least affected by it. I knew nothing of the Portuguese army and its involvement in the war until I came across this film, so it was an education for me. It is a home-grown film about one soldier in particular, who is the only soldier to ever be awarded Portugal's highest decoration for bravery, for his actions on the Western Front in the spring of 1918. His story is told through flashbacks, from his arrival in France in the 1917 with the Portuguese Expeditionary Force, while in the present-day in 1943, he hunts a wolf in the countryside near his farm, with his young daughter.

The English title I watched this under was "Courage of One". The war scenes first. They are very well-shot, and the attention to detail in the uniforms and the trench warfare, and action, is decent. I have to admit that the Lewis gun was distracting to me, as a history buff, because the magazine often rotates around even when Milhais is not pulling the trigger. An interesting prop malfunction. But that can be overlooked. As can the clear fact that the film was shot in Portugal, and not in northern France or Belgium. I had unnerving flashbacks to the 1960s film "Battle of the Bulge", set in the Ardennes in the winter of 1944, but filmed in Spain. However, "Courage of One" gets away with it, as the action is set in the spring.

The narrative works very well, and is the film's strong-point. The present-day adventure of Milhais hunting the wolf runs parallel to the narrative of the Great War. Carminho Coelho plays the role of his daughter, and she is excellent, and contributes to some of the best scenes in the film, as I found it to be a very strong and moving portrayal of a father and daughter relationship. "I've read your service records ten times," she tells her father, after she recites some war facts about him, when he joined the army and when he arrived in France. Overall, I highly recommend "Courage of One" to history fans. The crew did a fine job here with their low-budget. They substituted France and Flanders for the Portuguese countryside without making a complete mess of it, but it is the narrative that seals victory and makes this a film worth seeking out.

Tremors 4: The Legend Begins (2004 Video)

Charming prequel

[6/10 · 14 September 2023]

"Tremors 4" takes the franchise to the beginning, to 1889, to the settlement known as Rejection and the forefathers of a couple of the characters in the first films. The owner of a silver mine travels to Rejection to find out why his mine is no longer open, after the workers abandoned it following some grisly, unexplained deaths. There is much talk of Sand Dragons, and before long, their existence becomes unquestionable, and in order to save the small settlement, the people look to hire a gunslinger to travel to Rejection and help them get rid of the subterranean beasts.

This is a very charming and enjoyable prequel to the franchise, with the casting of Michael Gross as his character's forefather a fitting and welcome touch. The sense of time and place is well evoked, with the props, costumes and the atmosphere of attempting to stake one's claim out in this small settlement. Billy Drago is excellent.