Name: JPRoscoe
Email:
Bio: Follow me on Twitter @JPRoscoe76! Loves all things pop-culture especially if it has a bit of a counter-culture twist. Plays video games (basically from the start when a neighbor brought home an Atari 2600), comic loving (for almost 30 years), and a true critic of movies. Enjoys the art house but also isn't afraid to let in one or two popular movies at the same time.
Posts by JPRoscoe:
Enola Holmes (2020)
September 25th, 2020Movie Info
Movie Name: Enola Holmes
Studio: EH Productions
Genre(s): Mystery/Suspense/Action/Adventure
Release Date(s): September 23, 2020
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Enola goes it alone
Enola Holmes (Millie Bobby Brown) has lived a sheltered life. Growing up in the country and raised by her mother Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter), she barely knows her older brothers Mycroft (Sam Claflin) and Sherlock (Henry Cavill), but loves following Sherlock’s adventures in crime solving. One night, Eudoria disappears leaving no evidence to her location, and Enola finds herself the ward of Mycroft who has vowed to make her a proper woman. Enola has other plans and sets out to forge her own path and find her mother. When she encounters the runaway Lord Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge), Enola finds herself enveloped in a dangerous mystery that could get her killed.
Directed by Harry Bradbeer, Enola Holmes is a mystery action film. The movie adapts the Nancy Springer young-adult The Enola Holmes Mysteries and is loosely based on the first novel in the series The Case of the Missing Marquess (2006). The film was released to Netflix on September 23, 2020 and received relatively positive reviews.
The character of Sherlock Holmes often can be too stuffy and too pretentious. Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes was too action and too far from the character (though if you had to choose someone to play him like that, Robert Downey Jr. was a good choice). Enola Holmes tries to find a bit of a happy medium to the action-based Downey Jr. movies and a more traditional Sherlock Holmes while trying to appeal to a younger generation…and for the most part, it succeeds.
Better step up your game, Sherlock (and I wouldn’t mind seeing a Cavill Sherlock movie too)
The story is a little less mystery based than I would have preferred, but there is a bit of mystery within the story. Enola’s character however is charming and with frequent breaking of the fourth wall with insights into her actions, she has an Emma Woodhouse feel from Jane Austen’s character (with of course a bit more jujitsu or bartitsu…which was a thing in London at the time and used in Doyle’s mysteries). While the story does have a romance involved for the character, the film goes a long way to show that if Enola goes pursue a relationship with Tewkesbury, it will be her choice.
As in most of her films and roles, Millie Bobby Brown brings a realism to the character that other actresses might lack. The film (literally) pulls no punches and Brown finds herself taking a beating at the hands of Burn Gorman a few times. Her character is smart, but different than Sherlock and approaches mysteries in a different way with a different style of innovation that makes Enola just not a young and female version of the character. I enjoy Henry Cavill’s Sherlock and Sam Claflin plays a typical kind of jerky Mycroft when compared to his brother. Helena Bonham Carter feels a bit underused, but with the idea of future movies, I hope her role expands.
Thank you! May I have another!
The movie isn’t the most inventive Victorian style movie, but it is a good looking movie set in old England and London. The sets and locations feel real and the movie has some fun with disguises in the sense of Brown’s character…something she can utilize more since she in general is “seen” in society when stories are supposed to take place.
Enola Holmes shows great potential. It isn’t a let down in that it doesn’t reach its full potential, but I feel that the movie sets up future movies that could both enrich the character and in turn enrich this film. If this film were to be a stand-alone movie, it is fun and enjoyable. It is a welcomed turn on the typical Sherlock Holmes story that hopefully will continue.
Cats (2019)
September 24th, 2020Movie Info
Movie Name: Cats
Studio: Working Title Films
Genre(s): Musical/Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Family
Release Date(s): December 16, 2019 (Premiere)/December 20, 2019 (US)
MPAA Rating: PG
Dancing roaches…a highlight?
One night a year, the Jellicle cats gather in London for the Jellicle Ball and vie for opportunity to go the Heaviside Layer where they will receive a new life. Newly abandoned Victoria (Francesca Hayward), finds herself amongst the Jellicles as they tell their stories and promote themselves in the hope of Old Deuteronomy (Judi Dench) will select them for the honor. Unfortunately, Macavity (Idris Elba) wants to be the Jellicle Choice, and he is going about any means to make it happen…including kidnapping! Will Old Deuteronomy be allowed to choose the true Jellicle cat or will Macavity’s plan work?
Eat Cats up or spit it out?
Directed by Tom Hooper, Cats is a family musical fantasy movie. The film adapts the Andrew Lloyd Webber long running 1981 musical which is a loose adaptation of T.S. Eliot’s 1939 book of poetry Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. The film was released to critical pans but quickly gained a cult following largely due to the reviews. A remastered version of the film replaced the first release when errors in the CGI visuals were seen in the final print released to theaters. The film won Razzies for Worst Picture, Worst Supporting Actor (James Corden), Worst Supporting Actress (Rebel Wilson), Worst Screenplay, Worst Screen Combo (Any two half-feline/half-human hairballs), and Worst Director with nominations for Worst Actress (Francesca Hayward) and Worst Supporting Actress (Judi Dench).
When the trailer for Cats was released, I (like everyone else) was both horrified and intrigued by the frightening appearance of the cast. I had seen Cats in London and knew that it honestly wasn’t a very good musical and the story (if you even could call it that) was paper thin. I knew I would wait and I’m glad I did. While the horror put the screen is entertaining, Cats largely suffers from being incredibly dull.
Sorry, Taylor…no amount of “catnip” can save this movie
As mentioned, Cats is largely a number of “cats” telling their story through song and the larger story is pretty weak. The plot might entertain children (an evil cat trying to stop the good cats), but even that is a push. The movie boosts it a little to try to move the story along, but it just isn’t very compelling…and the fact that most of the songs are quite weak (except besides “Memories”), doesn’t even help move the movie along.
Largely you feel sorry for the cast which is for the most part good in other things. The problem (in many big screen musicals) is attempts to cast big names who might or might not have any musical experience, and in turn, casting stage performers who might not have the screen presence needed. Francesca Hayward is pretty lightweight as the lead and Judi Dench, Idris Elba, Ray Winstone, and Ian McKellen are pretty poor in their roles. Rebel Wilson and James Corden’s characters are supposed to add humor, but instead initiate groans. Taylor Swift actually kind of works as Macavity’s seductive ally, but it is too little too late.
I’d like to think “Memories” by Jennifer Hudson would be a good performance…but even it didn’t hit
The visuals are the other big aspect of the film. The stage largely made the cats through costume and make-up and placed them on scaled items. The movie opted to give the felines digital fur and bodies that are very creepy and scale sized. While you can’t turn away for the first part of the movie as a result, the novelty of the creepy characters wears off and the weakness of the musical becomes even more evident…when the movie has nothing to do, it goes into extended ballet sequences.
Cats is pretty awful, and it wasn’t even fun awful once you adjusted to the how the cats looked. It is plodding, boring, and a reminder that there are so many other better musicals out there. A little subculture arose with the movie that endorsed seeing the film while high, but I doubt any amount of weed, alcohol, or even acid would make this a good trip. With so many musical choices (and many that are family friendly), just watch a couple clips of Cats on YouTube for fun then watch another film…it is worth it.
Pink Flamingos (1972)
September 24th, 2020Movie Info
Movie Name: Pink Flamingos
Studio: Dreamland
Genre(s): Comedy/B-Movie/Adult
Release Date(s): March 17, 1972
MPAA Rating: NC-17
The mother-son relationship helps define the filth
Divine (Divine) has just been ruled the filthiest person, and Divine and her brood including son Crackers (Danny Mills), her egg-obsessed mother Edie (Edith Massey), and their friend Cotton (Mary Vivian Pearce) are enjoying the pleasure of rolling in the filth. When Connie Marbles (Mink Stole) and Raymond Marbles (David Lochary) learn of the title, they vow to steal it from Divine through their kidnapping and impregnating of young hitchhikers so they can sell the babies to gay and lesbian couples. Divine isn’t going to let her title be taken away from her and she will do anything to keep it…including murder!
Written and directed by John Waters, Pink Flamingos is an exploitation NC-17 comedy. The ultra-low budget film quickly gained a cult following and was banned in many places after its premiere in 1972. The film’s counter culture style and subject matters received both criticism and praise from critics.
I knew a lot about Pink Flamingos and had seen some of Waters’ other more mainstream films. I finally decided to set down and watch it. The film has lots of similarities to his works like Multiple Maniacs but feels a lot different than movies like Hairspray and Polyester.
Oh Egg-Man…I love you!
Part of the reason the movie feels so different than Waters’ later films is the budget. The movie feels like something made by friends and aspects like continuity between shots and set design are not always that strong. The film often is shot in an almost guerrilla style and the quality of the film picture changes from scene to scene. Despite the quality changes throughout the picture, it works with what the picture is doing.
The movie plot is paper-thin, but that too is by design. Much of the dialogue reads like a porno and is delivered in a style fitting it. When the story doesn’t make sense, a narrator pops in to fix the plot holes, and the movie also pushes the idea of surreal to the max by pretty much including whatever the story felt like at the time. The “bad taste” stuff ranges from simple stuff like gross out behavior to talking butts to oral (incest) sex…all to the culminating last scene of infamy.
Yep…Divine does it
The show largely works because of Waters and his friends. The actors don’t feel like actors and they largely don’t try to act. Edith Massey is notoriously bad in all of Waters’ films, but for some reason you can’t look away. The star of course is Divine who goes all in (including the oral sex scene) and made cinematic history-infamy by eating dog feces right from the dog as it falls on the ground. It is disgusting but also a gimmick (which is what the film is all about in a way).
You have to be able to tolerate a lot for Pink Flamingos, but the fact that it exists is one of those reasons why the cinema has so much power and range. It is the type of movie that scores poorly on all accounts (story, acting, visuals) but still manages to work because of the intentions of the filmmaker. The movie is both an object of the time and ahead of the time by pushing the boundaries of decency while mocking stereotypes of fringe culture. The characters are every conservative’s nightmares of counter-culture “filth”…and Divine and the gang love every minute of it. Even after decades, Pink Flamingos remains “an exercise in poor taste”.
South Park—Season 23
September 17th, 2020
Get your weed here!
Things on Tegridy Farm aren’t all that they cracked up to be. Randy Marsh’s dream of running an all-natural weed farm isn’t the money maker he hoped…but Randy discovers getting a Chinese backer could be the key. With threats of a Mexican Joker arising from I.C.E.’s treatment of immigrant children and a goo man threatening a side business, Tegridy Farms is facing a challenge. In South Park, a mummy’s curse, anti-vax parents, streaming apps, and the death of a White child could threaten the town…and when Sheila Broflovski gets a fecal transplant, the search for the legendary fecal spice mélange is on!
South Park—Season 23 aired from September 25, 2019 to December 11, 2019. The series was renewed for an addition three more seasons before the Season 23 premiere. The series also faced a Chinese ban following “Band in China” and celebrated its 300th episode.
Randy’s got an opinion
South Park has gotten a bit odd. The series continues to morph which is a good thing, but at this point it almost feels entirely like an in-joke. The characters are known, the recurring jokes are there, and you just wait and expect Stone and Parker to hit on the topical events of the day.
The season is really divided. The show continues the Tegridy Farms storyline which was established last season and ends it about at the midway point of the season (with a callback for the final episode). The series then launches into some one-off episodes for the second half of the season which feel oddly disconnected despite earlier seasons predominately having one-off episodes. The switch to season based stories seems to have stuck now.
I want more death metal Crimson Dawn!
Much like Homer Simpsons became the star of The Simpsons, Randy has seemingly taken a huge role in the series. This season has him featured prominently for a majority of the episodes. It could be the fact that Parker and Stone are aging and identifying a bit more with the adult characters, but it also leaves the rest of the cast in a rather odd place…and the more PC world of 2019 sometimes requires a little more PC approach (even if PC Principal isn’t the person giving it).
The best part of South Park has always been the topical nature. You can turn off the news and turn on South Park and you get bitter and biting context of many of the current stories. Children separated from parents at the border, the rise of marijuana farms, and kowtowing to the Chinese because of their domination of the buyers’ market are all relevant issues that other series can’t seem to get on quick enough to really get the feel of the moment (South Park is generally more on point than late night comedians in this sense).
Will next season see a bigger return of Trump…I mean Garrison?
South Park’s pattern is strange in that at the beginning of the series, there was a shock value. Much like The Simpsons, South Park was “did you see what they did on air” type of show. Now with streaming and other options of TV viewing, shock isn’t as big of a factor…even swearing which was mostly missing from the early seasons is common in TV shows. Despite its continued edgy nature, South Park has become an almost comfort food. You know what type of jokes you’ll get from the characters and the characters don’t disappoint. I still look forward to new seasons of South Park, and I know that the COVID-19, quarantine, and election season should be a scorcher…I’ll be down at South Park for it for sure.
South Park—Season 23 Complete Episode Guide:
“Mexican Joker”
23.1 Mexican Joker Airdate: 09/25/19
Cartman discovers he can call in ICE on his enemies which means a trip to a detention camp for Kyle and his family…but could the government accidentally create a new Mexican Joker? Randy Marsh learns that people have started to grow their own weed, and with Tegridy Farms at stake, that cannot happen!
“Band in China”
23.2 Band in China Airdate: 10/02/19
Randy has decided that China is a new market for Tegridy Farms, but discovers Winnie-the-Pooh’s resemblance to the Chinese leader could ruin the deal. Trying to get out of Tegridy Farms, Stan’s death-metal band Crimson Dawn could make a moneymaking biopic movie, but the Chinese must accept it first.
“Shots”
23.3 Shots!!! Airdate: 10/09/19
Cartman refuses to get his shots under the fear that it could make him artistic, and the town decides they can’t let Cartman risk all their children. Stan’s Tegridy Farms makes its first $300,000 with the help of the Chinese, but it could cost him his family and his soul.
“Let Them Eat Goo”
23.4 Let Them Eat Goo Airdate: 10/16/19
The children of South Park demand change for their non-sustainable lunches, and Cartman isn’t having it. Randy and Towelie try to find a way to make more money from Tegridy Farm’s waste and realize Tegridy burgers could be the key, but when a simple goo man comes to town, the battle heats up.
“Tegridy Farms Halloween Special”
23.5 Tegridy Farms Halloween Special Airdate: 10/30/19
Randy and Towelie are whipping up a Halloween special, but Shelly’s growing resentment of Randy’s weed business could turn it into a nightmare. A trip to the museum by Butters leads to a mummy’s curse or Butters’ codependency with the mummy.
“Season Finale”
23.6 Season Finale Airdate: 11/06/19
Randy’s been exposed as the Mexican Joker who blew-up the home weed farms and is facing trial, but Randy’s call to President Garrison gets him a special defender in Rudy Giuliani. The Whites have their children killed in a police hit-and-run, and no one cares about the Whites…leading Cartman to suggest the Whites adopt one of the “orphaned” migrant children.
“Board Girls”
23.7 Board Girls Airdate: 11/13/19
Strong Woman is about to enter the strongwoman competition, but finds a competitor in Heather Swanson. Strong Woman realizes she has a tie to Heather which could make PC Principal break his PC pledge. The Dice Studz find the girls want to play in the club to Cartman’s chagrin, but eliminating the girls might be harder than expected.
“Turd Burglars”
23.8 Turd Burglars Airdate: 11/27/19
Sheila Broflovski is suffering from a C-diff bacterial infection requiring an emergency fecal transplant. When word gets out about the benefits of the fecal transplant, Sheila’s friends are willing to pay anything to get her waste and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order might be what they need to do it. Learning about the bacteria living inside of everyone, Kyle begins to see things and it could be tied to Tom Brady and the spice mélange.
“Basic Cable”
23.9 Basic Cable Airdate: 12/04/19
Scott Malkinson finds there is a new girl in town and she also has diabetes. With his future love defined, Scott tries to woo Sophie Gray only to learn of her love of The Mandalorian. With his cable providing father raging against the rise of streaming apps, Disney+ isn’t happening for Scott, and if he can’t get Disney+, will Sophie ever love him?
“Christmas Snow”
23.10 Christmas Snow Airdate: 12/11/19
When the sale of alcohol is banned in South Park until after the New Year, the parents of South Park are desperate and depressed. With no one spending money and the economy of the town threatened, the Mayor goes to Randy for help…and Randy’s Christmas Special might be what the town needs.
Preceded By:
South Park—Season 22 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Broad City—Season 2
September 16th, 2020
Put on a happy face!
Abbi Abrams (Abbi Jacobson) and Ilana Wexler (Ilana Glazer) are back and still living large in the big city…or at least pretending to. As Ilana worries dentist Lincoln Rice (Hannibal Buress) could be classified as “her boyfriend”, Abbi still dreams of getting a chance to be a trainer at her gym. From heat waves, wisdom teeth removals, dog weddings, underground jazz clubs, Kelly Ripa, knockoff bags and dildos, Abbi and Ilana always are finding trouble if trouble doesn’t find them.
Broad City—Season 2 aired on Comedy Central from January 14, 2015 to March 17, 2015. The series continued to gain fans and praises from critics.
I didn’t see Broad City until it was almost over. Like other “ladies in the city” series, the women of the series talk the talk and walk the walk of people who don’t care who is listening to them (aka a lot of swearing and sex talk). This might turn off some viewers, but even if it does, you have to credit its writing and style.
Drugs are a hell of a thing…
The scripts for the episodes are smart. Generally there are couple different storylines running through each episode (an Abbi story and an Ilana story), but the writing generally manages to weave them together to make it feel like you aren’t watching two shows. The basic idea of the episode generally develops through the story and often blows up in Abbi and Ilana’s face (though they still end up friends through it all). Some of the plots can be pretty crude, but the intelligence in which are written give them weight.
The show works because Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson. While I do favor the awkward and unsure Abbi, I also find myself loving some of Ilana’s storylines. It is relatively balanced and the two stay true to their characters in situations that challenge them. They have a nice supporting cast (Hannibal Buress is particularly funny as Lincoln), and this season has a number of guest stars including Seth Rogan, D’Arcy Carden, Kumail Nanjiani, Bob Balaban, Amy Ryan, Susie Essman, Janeane Garofalo, Alia Shawkat, Kelly Ripa (as herself), Leo Fitzpatrick, Patricia Clarkson, and Eliot Glazer playing brother to his real-life sister Ilana.
Like looking in a mirror
The show is also very New York. Shot in and around the city and its boroughs, the show gets the city vibe. It often almost has a claustrophobic feel of tight streets and alleys, but Ilana and Abbi’s personalities allow the city to explode. Despite the strange people, the mess, and the heat, it show is a love letter to the city.
Broad City is a fun and quick TV series. Focusing on content rather than quantity the short seasons can be ploughed through rather quickly if you want to…or you can sit and savor it. Ilana would definitely be the former while Abbi would be the latter. It is why they make such a great pairing. Take a second trip to Broad City.
Broad City—Season 2 Complete Episode Guide:
“In Heat”
2.1 In Heat Airdate: 01/14/15
It’s a heat wave in the city and Abbi (Abbi Jacobson) and Ilana (Ilana Glazer) are just trying to keep cool. Abbi worries she’s committed rape when Male Stacy (Seth Rogan) passes out during sex. Ilana discovers she doesn’t know as much about Lincoln (Hannibal Buress) as she thought. When the heat gets too much for Abbi, Abbi and Ilana go in search of an air conditioner.
“Mochalatte Chills”
2.2 Mochalatta Chills Airdate: 01/21/15
Abbi has had enough of Bevers (John Gemberling) and orders him off her couch…but when he decides to hit her gym, Abbi finds her worlds colliding. Todd (Chris Gethard) orders Ilana to make a sale at work, so Ilana does the next best thing and hires interns to do it for her.
“Wisdom Teeth”
2.3 Wisdom Teeth Airdate: 01/28/15
Abbi is getting her wisdom teeth taken out by Lincoln, and Ilana has one job to watch over her. When Ilana overdoses Abbi on Vicodin and weed, Abbi goes out to see the city with her new best friend Bingo Bronson. Plus, Jaime (Arturo Castro) goes on an emergency trip for frozen yogurt.
“Knockoffs”
2.4 Knockoffs Airdate: 02/04/15
Abbi is finally getting her shot at her neighbor Jeremy Santos (Stephen Schneider), but Jeremy has a request that Abbi isn’t sure she can accommodate. Ilana and her mother Bobbi (Susie Essman) go shopping for knock-off bags in Chinatown as they prepare for Ilana’s grandmother’s funeral.
“Hashtag FOMO”
2.5 Hashtag FOMO Airdate: 02/11/15
Ilana and Abbi are invited to a party at the apartment of Trey Pucker (Paul W. Downs), and Abbi hopes it is her chance to prove she can be a trainer. When Ilana and Abbi ditch the party, they seek out new fun, and Ilana learns a secret about Abbi when she gets blackout drunk.
“The Matrix”
2.6 The Matrix Airdate: 02/18/15
Abbi and Ilana decide they are spending too much time on the internet and ditch their phones before heading out the dog wedding of Ilana’s brother Eliot (Eliot Glazer). When Abbi ends up in a pit, Ilana must use her survival and nature skills to seek out the wedding and rescue her friend.
“Citizen Ship”
2.7 Citizen Ship Airdate: 02/25/15
Jaime is becoming an American citizen, and Ilana, Abbi, and Lincoln are out to give him a good time by going on a boat tour of the city put on by Abbi’s roommate Melody. When Bevers reveals he intends to propose to Melody, Abbi realizes she could get him out of her apartment. Ilana worries that she and Lincoln are moving into boyfriend-girlfriend status.
“Kirk Steele”
2.8 Kirk Steele Airdate: 03/04/15
Ilana’s discovery that Abbi’s gym boss Trey was a former porn star called Kirk Steele gives Abbi leverage over him, but when she breaks a mirror in kettle bell class, Abbi and Trey have to come up with the money to replace it. Ilana does her babysitting duty for Heidi Strand (Amy Ryan) and her son Oliver (Grayson Taylor).
“Coat Check”
2.9 Coat Check Airdate: 03/10/15
Jaime gets Abbi and Ilana a job at the coat check for a fancy charity party. Ilana meets the girl of her dreams in Adele (Alia Shawkat), but Abbi has bad news for her. Abbi discovers Kelly Ripa’s coat is missing and sets out to reunite her with it…leading to a strange evening with the star.
“St. Mark’s”
2.10 St. Mark’s Airdate: 03/17/15
It is Ilana’s twenty-third birthday, and she and Abbi are out to celebrate. From a ruined dinner to a purse thief (Leo Fitzpatrick) and his angry mother (Patricia Clarkson), Ilana finds her birthday will be memorable.
Related Links:
Broad City—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
September 16th, 2020Movie Info
Movie Name: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Studio: Vortex
Genre(s): Horror/B-Movie
Release Date(s): October 1, 1974
MPAA Rating: R
Come visit the country, they said…it would be fun they said
After a disturbing discovery of grave robbing, Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns), her brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain) and their friends Pam (Teri McMinn), Jerry (Allen Danziger), and Kirk (William Vail) decide to check on their family plots and visit their nearby family homestead. When they pick up a hitchhiker (Edwin Neal) and start to run out of gas, the day turns dark. Sally and her friends have walked into a nightmare…and the horror is real.
Written and directed by Tobe Hooper (with Kim Henkel also contributing to the script), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a grindhouse horror thriller. The low budget film was released to mixed reaction and criticism and bans due to the violence. The movie went on to gain a cult following and critical praise.
Franklin…I hate you
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was one of those legendary horror films. The sequel was released in 1986 and faced an X Rating. It just made the original film more hallowed horror ground. When I finally saw The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, it had a lot to live up to. The first viewing went ok, but I have gained more respect for the film as the years have gone by.
The movie has a slow burn start which is both its blessing and its curse. The horror slowly builds (with some intense parts in the middle) to one of the most horrific ending sequences in a horror movie. There is a sense of dread hanging over the Texas Chain Saw Massacre that permeates the story and keeps the viewer un-eased.
Dinner is served!
The horror of the film is how the “family” treats their victims. To them they are not only simply cattle, but they are also toys. The family mocks the characters fears and horror. It is a joke to them and a way of life. Eating people is just a side aspect of the story, and the fact that they feed people other people at their restaurant is their own private joke.
The cast is a mixed bag. Marilyn Burns is a good scream queen and the sequence with her at the dinner table is one of the best horror sequences. Teri McMinn also gives a good and terrifying performance as the woman who faces being hung on a hook and stuck in a freezer. Jim Siedow is a good hilljack and Edwin Neal fits the creepy hitcher role well. Gunnar Hansen is imposing with his size as Leatherface and was the obvious jump out star of the series. The debatable role is Paul A. Partain as Franklin who many list as the most obnoxious character in a horror movie. John Larroquette provides the memorable opening narration.
The “Chainsaw Dance” isn’t as popular as the “Safety Dance”
The strength of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is that it isn’t treated like a grindhouse B-Movie. The film is shot stylishly and with interesting shots that add to the unnerving script. Scenes like the camera moving under the swing in the yard show skilled cinematography that you wouldn’t expect from a low budget horror film. It is also known for avoiding on-screen gore by mostly implying the horror.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is an acquired taste. The first time I saw it I didn’t like it much, but the more times I saw it, I respected it more. The horror grows and builds in a way that many horror films fail to achieve or even recognize. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was an early “pre-slasher” slasher film. It has been remade and spawned multiple sequels, but none have reached the original (though The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 did take a different approach entirely)…stick with the original and give it a chance. The movie will stick with you. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was followed by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 in 1986.
Related Links:
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 (1986)
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011)
September 13th, 2020Movie Info
Movie Name: Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Studio: Marvel Knights
Genre(s): Superhero/Action/Adventure
Release Date(s): December 11, 2011 (Austin Butt-Numb-A-Thon)/February 17, 2012 (wide release)
MPAA Rating: PG-13
The Ghost Rider is back! …but do we care?
Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) is on the run and trying to bury the demon inside of him. When a woman named Nadya Ketch (Violante Placido) and her son Danny (Fergus Riodan) are targeted by Roarke (Ciarán Hinds), Ghost Rider must rise! Mephistopheles needs Danny for a ritual, and Johnny aided by Nadya and Moreau (Idris Elba) must keep one step ahead of Roarke and his men, or the world will pay.
Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance is a Marvel Comics action-adventure film presented in 2D and 3D versions. A follow-up to Ghost Rider in 2007, the movie was released to negative reviews but a solid box office return. The film was nominated for Razzies for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel and Worst Actor (Nicolas Cage also for Seeking Justice).
Ghost Rider wasn’t a good movie. It had its moments and Nicolas Cage being Nicolas Cage made it halfway watchable. The second film is largely a stand-alone, added a lot of special effects, and forgot to add a story.
Don’t you like my 1990s grunge look…in 2012
The movie is a “protect the child” movie which half-way introduces the Danny Ketch Ghost Rider character of the 1990s. The movie has a few chase scenes and added the nice effect of Ghost Rider utilizing things other than a motorcycle (mining tools, trucks, etc.). The film ends in a rather lack-luster showdown with a less than interesting villain…any momentum the first film had was lost in this sequel.
Nicolas Cage is Nicolas Cage and his does his “I’m crazy” scenes like normal. Since this is the standard Nicolas Cage of this period, the movie doesn’t have a lot of “new” stretches for the actor and the oddity of the character from the first film becomes annoying. He’s backed up by less than stellar characters (no fault of the actors), but the movie isn’t as much of a vehicle for Cage as the first movie. Blackout (played by Johnny Whitworth) just isn’t a compelling villain to be Ciarán Hinds’ backup.
I think probably the biggest complaint people have about the MCU and the first Ghost Rider is not enough peeing scenes…problem solved
The special effects feel ramped-up. The original Ghost Rider had the traditional white skull, but this film goes for a dirtier and grittier Ghost Rider. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the movie is so loaded with CGI that it feels like the Ghost Rider has no substance. Plus, you get a shot of the Ghost Rider peeing fire…twice.
Ghost Rider is a character that was a product of the 1970s and then he was a product of 1990s. It is a tricky character to nail down and getting the mix of horror and action is tricky…and it definitely shouldn’t be PG-13. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance was the last film in the Ghost Rider series and the rights to the character reverted back to Marvel from Columbia Pictures. The character resurfaced as the Robbie Reyes Ghost Rider in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.—Season 4, and there has been talk of a return to the MCU film series.
Related Links:
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
September 13th, 2020Movie Info
Movie Name: The Talented Mr. Ripley
Studio: Miramax
Genre(s): Mystery/Suspense/Drama
Release Date(s): December 12, 1999 (Premiere)/December 25, 1999 (US)
MPAA Rating: R
The good times will never end…right?
Tom Ripley (Matt Damon) has a skill of blending in…he can literally become another person if the need arises. When he is mistaken for a Harvard graduate, Tom is asked to travel to Italy and bring back his “classmate” Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) who is spending leisurely days on the water with his girlfriend Marge Sherwood (Gwyneth Paltrow). Tom puts his skill to use to insinuate himself into Dickie’s life and begins living the life of a jetsetter American in Europe. In love with the entire idea of Dickie, Tom learns that Dickie is fickle and when Dickie decides he’s done with Tom, Tom finds the lies mounting up. Tom is getting deeper and deeper…and the lies are catching up.
Directed by Anthony Minghella, The Talented Mr. Ripley is a crime-suspense thriller. The film adapts the 1955 novel by Patricia Highsmith which was previously adapted as a Studio One TV production in 1957, Purple Noon (1960), and a modified version as Les Biches (1968). The film was released to positive reviews and received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor (Jude Law), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score.
I loved The Talented Mr. Ripley when it came out and went back and took in Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley novels and checked out some of the early appearances of “Tom”. In concept, storytelling, and acting, The Talented Mr. Ripley remains a taut, smart thriller.
Murders have motives
The story works due to the time period and the luck of Ripley which seems to be a common theme in the movie. Tom continuously gets lucky breaks, but he ends up always sabotaging himself through his previous actions. Tom is a blank slate that feels like he is desperately trying to fit in. When he meets a magnetic personality that seems to like him, he falls hook, line, and sinker. Unfortunately since is such an outcast and Dickie Greenleaf knows his power over people, Tom falls into the trap of adoration of Dickie…which is confused with his sexual desires and leads to an unhappy mess.
This is film that solidified for me that Matt Damon wasn’t just a pretty boy who got a good break with Good Will Hunting. His Ripley can be both shattered and broken but cunning and cold, and Damon is able to present it with a detached look he can deliver. His mimicry of the other characters and his chameleon skills seem to come naturally to Damon. He’s backed up by a great performance from Jude Law in a character that everyone knows. Greenleaf is the guy who you feel good being in his presence, but his popularity is known to him and he abuses it. Paltrow is good as the character who first trusts Tom then fears him, but Cate Blanchett is kind of the throwaway character as Meredith Logue. In 1999, I was still trying to see Philip Seymour Hoffman not as his character from Boogie Nights, and I remember it was a challenge when he was much more like Tom Ripley in that film.
Freddie, you’re going to get the irony of messing around with this bust for so long in a few minutes
The film is aided by the great location of Italy. Covering cities all up and down the coasts, the film has a great look and shows the skill that Minghella also demonstrated for scenery in The English Patient.
The Talented Mr. Ripley is a solid thriller but it feels like the thrillers of old days. It is long and it is a slow burn at points, but it feels like the pacing is necessary to develop the relationships between the characters and set the scenes. It also is the type of film which goes to show that even the most horrendous crimes have motives even if the motif seems flimsy. Ripley explains it best in the film “you never meet anybody that thinks they are a bad person”…which makes Ripley and the film all the more terrifying.
Related Links:
Terror Train (1980)
September 13th, 2020Movie Info
Movie Name: Terror Train
Studio: Astral Bellevue Pathe
Genre(s): Horror/Seasonal
Release Date(s): October 3, 1980
MPAA Rating: R
Don’t tell him that Harpo is your favorite Marx…
The boys of Sigma Pi have played a cruel prank on a pledge named Kenny Hampson (Derek MacKinnon) and Alana Maxwell (Jamie Lee Curtis) finds herself a part of it. Now three years later, the fraternity is having a coed New Year’s Eve party and the young pledges are about to graduate. Renting a party train for the night, the group finds themselves trapped with a killer. As the conductor Carne (Ben Johnson) tries to root out the murderer, Alana and her friends find themselves being hunted by a murderer who could be disguised as anyone.
Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, Terror Train is a slasher horror film. The movie was independently produced and became a cult favorite after the initial theatrical run.
I can recall Terror Train being in regular rotation late nights on UHF channels in the 1980s. Like any horror movie at the time (and not possessing cable), I would watch parts of it all the time. Despite some memorable moments, I rarely remember much of the film and don’t know that I saw it unedited for years.
Magic always gets the girls
The goal of the film was essentially to capitalize on the popularity of Halloween by making Halloween on a train. It recruited then scream-queen Jamie Lee Curtis in a similar (but slightly less sympathetic) role as someone who actually participated in the prank that spurred the killing. Of course Curtis was the unwitting member of the group, but largely the target of the killer. The film adds a layer of mystery to the movie by having the identity of the killer in question with a couple of red herrings through the course of the film…but it is pretty standard slasher fare.
Jamie Lee Curtis is at her peak at this time. She had already done Halloween, The Fog, and Prom Night and was quickly settling in as the reigning horror queen. The costar Ben Johnson was at the tail end of his career and had mostly fallen to doing low budget films. Hart Blochner is a weird romantic lead in that he really isn’t the romantic lead and pretty much a jerk (most of the generic white guy cast blends together). Magician David Copperfield has a starring role in the film as a magician…so it was a real stretch.
Wait a second….you’re not the conductor
The movie goes for the normal slasher jumps and the reveal of the killer is a bit of a surprise in how it is done (though jaded horror vets won’t probably won’t be). The movie has a sufficient amount of jumps, scares, and gore so in the world of slashers, it is one of the better ’80s non-Jason, Michael, or Freddy films, but due to the night time train setting, it is pretty dark.
Terror Train is an ok entry in the slasher film series though it doesn’t feel very distinctive. Jamie Lee Curtis raises the bar past some of the really generic slasher movies that were popping up and the movie has enough bloodshed and jumps that it does succeed in satisfying that horror need…I’m surprise there weren’t twelve Terror Train movies as a result.
Mindhunter—Season 1
September 11th, 2020
Whose mind is cracking?
FBI Special Agent Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) has questions about the FBI’s procedure in both classifying and identifying aberrant behavior. Teamed with the FBI’s Head of Behavior Science Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), he begins a path to interview killers to see what insight they can provide on their crimes. When the project begins to attract attention, behavioral specialist Dr. Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) finds herself part of the team…but as the questions toward the killers increase, the danger of fracturing the team grows greater.
Mindhunter—Season 1 was released on Netflix on October 13, 2017. The series is based upon retired FBI agent John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker’s 1995 book Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit and was released to positive reviews. The series received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Cameron Britton) for Britton’s portrayal of serial killer Edmund Kemper.
He’s a nice guy…besides all that murdering and stuff…right?
When Mindhunter came out, I started to watch the first episode but realized I needed to focus on it more than I was. I never returned to it. With more time, I finally went back to the first season of Mindhunter and found the show an interesting blend of a police procedural series and a drama about wrecked people (who aren’t necessarily the serial killers being interviewed).
Unlike a lot of police shows, the series doesn’t show the graphic acts. The detectives show up long after the crime and most of the gore and aspects of the crime are through graphic description and occasionally crime photos. This eliminates a lot of the visual shock value of the show and allows the crimes to shock themselves. It also allows the viewer to focus on how the crimes effect the people observing them…which makes the show almost a character study of the three core agents rather than a study of the criminals.
The basement…we’re going down…
The main characters all seem broken. Jonathan Groff’s Holden is the biggest mystery. He demonstrates a lot of the traits of the people that he is investigating. He is socially shielded (as he even states to his girlfriend about wearing suits), has a past kind of mired in mystery, loves the spotlight, and easily slips in and out of “character” while interviewing the killer he speaks to. His lack of connection almost feels like he could register on the autism spectrum because he seems to have a hard time reading situations and “the room” while dealing with people (which in part feels mirrored with Tench’s child). This has his character building to a fall. He starts out likeable, but he ends up almost a villain by the season’s end.
Groff is backed up by Holt McCallany and Anna Torv. Trench is portrayed as the traditional man’s man FBI image, but he has an open mind to trying to understand many of the deviations of the criminals they are talking to. His home life is also a wreck and in a weird way Ford and the work manage to keep him sane. With Torv, romantic intrigue is fortunately quashed early when it is revealed she is a semi-closeted lesbian (something that the FBI would have interest in at the time of the series), but she is also is caught in the academia vs. practically aspect of the work.
Kindly reminder…serial killers aren’t your friend
The killers are also a feature of the series. While the individual crimes worked on by the characters seem to be composite crimes, the killers they speak to are actors portraying true serial killers. Montie Rissell (Sam Strike), Jerry Brudos (Happy Anderson), and Richard Speck (Jack Erdie) are all featured in the season, but it is far and away Cameron Britton portrayal of Edmund Kemper that steals the show by showing how a guy can be odd, kind of likeable, but extremely terrifying and imposing when he finally reveals his true self. The “friendly” Kemper is a reminder that despite their work, the characters don’t necessarily have the same understanding of what is going on in the minds of the killers.
With a slick late ’70s look (and soundtrack), solid writing, and interesting characters, Mindhunter—Season 1 hits the marks. It is really easy to binge and the shows are compelling to watch one right after the other. It is interesting see how the study of the crimes is not only changing the way we talk about criminals (serial killer was a relatively new term though its true origin is debated), but how the study of the crimes also begins to change the characters and how they view the world. With a very “down” ending, Mindhunter—Season 2 could be a tough road to walk for the characters.
Mindhunter—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“Episode 1”
1.1 Episode 1 Release Date: 10/13/17
FBI Special Agent Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) follows the rules. When he follows procedure and fails to talk down a hostage situation, he begins to look for other methods for communicating and understanding the criminals that the FBI deals with. Teaching and studying academics, Ford meets a sociology graduate student named Debbie Mitford (Hannah Gross) as he tries to determine a way to help the FBI. Ford finds himself paired with the FBI’s Head of Behavior Science Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) in a tour trying to talk to officers about different techniques…but Ford questions if there is something new that they haven’t tried.
“Episode 2”
1.2 Episode 2 Release Date: 10/13/17
A trip to California gives Holden an opportunity that he cannot miss…talking to a real killer. Against policy and Tench’s recommendation, Ford meets with Edmund Kemper (Cameron Britton), the Coed Killer. Ford finds that Kemper likes to talk and could provide insight on the mind of a killer. When a Sacramento detective asks for help in the attack on an elderly woman and dog killing, Ford realizes that Kemper could be the key to finding the attacker…but he must convince Tench and even harder his boss Shepard (Cotter Smith) at the FBI.
“Episode 3”
1.3 Episode 3 Release Date: 10/13/17
Ford and Tench have tentative permission to continue with their research into killers, and Ford learns from a professor in Boston named Dr. Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) that the work could be significant. A second murder in Sacramento could prove the validity of their work and another visit to Kemper has Ford and Tench considering changing the FBI teaching process.
“Episode 4”
1.4 Episode 4 Release Date: 10/13/17
An interview Montie Rissell (Sam Strike) gives Ford and Trench new perspective on the killer’s mind, and with Dr. Carr’s assistant, they try to work on a more formal approach. A trip to Altoona, Pennsylvania has Trench and Ford helping with an investigation into a local woman mutilated, killed, and left in a dump. Back at the FBI, Ford and Trench’s research is starting to raise eyebrows, and it could mean big things.
“Episode 5”
1.5 Episode 5 Release Date: 10/13/17
Trench and Ford are called back to Altoona for the murder investigation and question if Beverly Jean’s fiancé Benji Barnwright (Joseph Cross) could have involvement or if his brother-in-law Frank Janderman (Jesse C. Boyd) might have been involved. Trying to deduce the killer’s motives, Trench and Ford might not find the answer they expected.
“Episode 6”
1.6 Episode 6 Release Date: 10/13/17
Carr has been offered a full time position with the FBI but joining the team would mean losing her potential tenure and her life in Boston which must remain private. Debbie and Ford have dinner with Trench and his wife Nancy (Stacey Roca) and realize the problems they are having with their son Brian (Zachary Scott Ross). The case in Altoona continues to get more complex as Ford, Carr, and Trench realize that Benji, Frank, and Frank’s wife Rose (Jackie Renee Robinson) were all involved in the murder…and getting the prosecutor to understand the psychology might not be possible.
“Episode 7”
1.7 Episode 7 Release Date: 10/13/17
An interview with Jerry Brudos (Happy Anderson) in Oregon goes poorly, and Carr tries to get Ford and Trench to realize that their study will only work with control questions. Trench and his wife continue to debate about how to raise their son and run into a problem which Trench’s work life intersects with his home life. Ford has a new approach to Brudos which leads to conflict between Carr and Trench.
“Episode 8”
1.8 Episode 8 Release Date: 10/13/17
A talk by Ford at an elementary school leads to an investigation into the principal (Marc Kudisch) who seems too friendly with the students…and a reprimand for Ford. Carr and Trench look to expand the department and Shepard has a strong recommendation with Gregg Smith (Joe Tuttle). Ford and Debbie’s relationship hits a rough patch as Ford questions her fidelity.
“Episode 9”
1.9 Episode 9 Release Date: 10/13/17
Ford takes a dark turn while interviewing Richard Speck (Jack Erdie) and trying to get him to talk, but Ford’s actions might have consequences. Ford meets with Debbie and tries to mend their relationship. A murder in Georgia could provide an opportunity for Ford and Trench to put their research to the test to bring in a child killer.
“Episode 10”
1.10 Episode 10 Release Date: 10/13/17
Ford and Trench bring in the killer of the girl in Georgia but their actions brings unwanted media attention to the project that Carr isn’t happy about. The cover-up of the department regarding the Richard Speck interview has been exposed by Smith, and Ford faces the consequences. With his life spiraling out of control, Ford goes to see Kemper for what could be an intense one-on-one.
