Welcome back gang. The month of horror comes to a close and you can see the move from horror to other such stuff. That other, non horror stuff, comes in the form of Spielberg flicks I had yet to see. And I gotta say, it was some damn good stuff. So sit back and enjoy the ride as we wave goodbye to the month of mayhem, and look towards a bright future of whatever the fuck happens. Enjoy.
Terror Train (October 26th, 2014)
Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Ben Johnson, Hart Bochner, and David Copperfield
There's really not much to say about this movie. It's a fairly typical slasher movie of that era where they were a dime a dozen. The most spectacular thing has to be that it isn't obnoxiously bad like most are. It also has a unique setting, a train instead of a typical suburban shit hole. It's not Snowpiercer or anything, making the train feel visually appealing or different from area to area. It's a tiny difference that makes a big difference in tone. Ie, there's nowhere to fucking go. Jamie is her typical Jamie self, not as good with a director that isn't even a quarter as good as Carpenter. But she's good enough to keep you interested. Johnson is the best of the bunch, a genre vet who brings a warm and wizened presence to the proceedings. The rest of the cast is ok, nothing special. Some are typical slasher movie bad, but they get dispatched or ignored quick enough. Now, the movie is kind of a whodunit. That's admirable enough, but it has a prologue that pretty much tells you who it is. So these scenes with people trying to look for the killer is a bit of a non starter. But then the ending comes, and kinda sucker punches you with a nice little reveal. The movie is entertaining enough, but doesn't transcend the genre enough to make non genre fans interested. But if you wanna see Jamie Lee in her horror phase or are interested in the slasher era of horror, you could do worse.
Rating: 7/10
No One Lives (October 26th, 2014)
Director: Ryuhei Kitamura
Starring: Luke Evans, Adelaide Clemens, Lee Tergesen, and Derek Magyar
This was a nice little surprise, being that it was produced by the WWE and is not a complete shit pile. But more than that, it is an actually really interesting B movie. This isn't high art, will never win itself some prestigious awards. But it has a hell of a twist in it to make the proceedings a lot more interesting that the normal run of the mill it seemed like initially. To spoil it here would be unfair, since it is a relatively recent movie and is not in the public consciousness. But I will say that the movie plays in a very murky area, morally speaking. There is a conflict at hand of where to put our loyalties, and there is only one person to do that. It is a really sort of brilliant idea and I loved that it did it. The movie is really well shot and the violence is particularly nice, bloody and over the top. The acting is all serviceable all around, with Evans and Clemens doing the best work. It's a shame Evans can't get work in good things, being stuck in the likes of The Hobbit movies or Dracula Untold. He has a good energy and charm here. And Clemens does really good work, playing the only real character with a wide range of emotions going on. And she nails it. This isn't a movie that's going to change the world, nor is it going to be liked by everyone. It is a big movie with a lot of crazy things going on that may make people scoff. But it plays with a little wink in its eye, letting you know it's in on the joke. That being said, I really liked it as a genuine B movie that knows how to entertain. If you can open your mind to a wild movie, give this a shot.
Rating: 9/10
1941 (October 29th, 2014)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, Christopher Lee, and Toshiro Mifune
This movie has a pretty negative reputation in the annals of history. After coming of the successes of Jaws and Close Encounters, Spielberg went stupid big for this movie and it failed. Critics didn't like it, nor did audiences who checked out. This movie changed how Spielberg made movies, so it's kind of directly responsible for Raiders of The Lost Ark. And even before I saw it, I was glad it existed just for that reason. But now having seen it, I gotta say that is is actually a great deal of fun. The movie is still a big, bloated mess with so much going on. It's kind of like an anthology movie in the sense that some of the stuff works, while others don't. The cast is huge and everyone seems to be game, with the highlights being Belushi and Akroyd. Belushi is just a god damn treasure, playing a crazy pilot who thinks he has been trailing some Jap pilots. He just goes big and it works. Akroyd is great as a tank operator who likes to give speeches, until he gets concussed and goes a little nuts. The rest of the cast is great, with Mifune and Lee doing some really good work as well. Even Slim Pickens shows up to do a great cameo with those two. The movie takes a while to get truly revving, but there is a moment when the movie just clicks into place and goes completely insane that is so wild, it's really just amazing. From that point, the movie is pretty hilarious and finally works. Now, watching this movie, there was some pretty surprising stuff in it that I did not expect to see. For one, there is period appropriate racism in it. A lot of slurs towards the Japanese and one really fucked up but amazing joke at their expense. Hell, there's even some humor about blacks having to sit in the back of buses. Really kinda crazy shit I never expected to see in a slapstick comedy from the really sentimental Spielberg. Also, there is a really rapey subplot that really threw me. And when I mean rapey, I mean Treat Williams plays a soldier who spends a lot of time trying to kidnap a girl who doesn't wanna sleep with him, so he can force her to sleep with him. It's fucking nuts and it's all played for laughs, which is really kinda insane. That story is fucked up and wrong, but in a way helps make the world seem all that more bent and warped. Something else that works here is the idea of panic that this country feels about invisible enemies, hiding in every dark corner. Not to say it's a prescient movie, but it does make a good anchor to hang a slapstick comedy on. Especially when this country still gets itself worked into a froth over nonsense. This movie isn't going to work for everyone, but it made me laugh a whole lot. So give it a try and watch what is considered to be Spielbergs first failure. And jack, most would wish this was their worst movie.
Rating: 8/10
Duel (November 1st, 2014)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Dennis Weaver
Most people would assume that Jaws was the first time people got to know who Spielberg was. And they would kind of be wrong. That was his first big hit and the movie that captured the public consciousness, but people in the 70s probably heard from him before. He made a made for tv movie that was so good, he was allowed to film more scenes and it was released in theaters for a bit. That movie was Duel, a masterful exercise in tension. This is the movie that probably got him Jaws, since it is very similar movie where it's a big truck instead of a shark. This is a very simple movie. Dennis Weaver is driving to meet a client about some work stuff when he pisses off a trucker for some reason that he or we don't understand, and that trucker decides to terrorize him. That's it, very simple stuff. Weaver is the only real character in the movie, and he carries it really well. The paranoia he feels is palpable, constantly worrying about why this is happening and how he's going to survive this. It's not a surprise that this kid went on to be the biggest director ever. He had a real talent early on, knowing how to work a camera and how to wring tension out of some run of the mill elements. Tension is so thick in this movie that it feels like it could be cut with a knife. The fact that he pulled this magic trick off on tv is insane. And its the 70s, so it's all practical. Just genius stuff and re energized my love for Spielbergs work. Highly recommended.
Rating: 9/10
The Sugarland Express (November 11th, 2014)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, Ben Johnson, and Michael Sacks
Well now we get to the big screen debut for Spielberg, and it's a pretty solid ride. Here we follow a dopey young couple as the woman (Hawn) breaks the man (Atherton) out of prison to try and get their son from foster care. What follows is essentially a road movie as they drive across Texas to get to the boy. The rub? They took a cop hostage and are now being trailed by what appears to be the entire Texas police department, led by Ben Johnson. Now, this movie is a bit of a step back from Duel, but only a bit. Where Duel was a unique exercise in tension, this is his version of a bunch of other movies combined. So it lacks a bit in originality. But it still shows his talents behind the camera immensely. He gets good performances out of everyone, including Hawn who has always been an annoying screen presence to me. Spielberg shows a real maturity in this movie that most fresh faced directors wouldn't have. He shows that these two kids are simple and pretty stupid, but doesn't excuse their actions. They are wrong, through and through. It's pretty refreshing to see a movie like this that doesn't canonize the criminals. Also, in Ben Johnsons role is a nice change of pace. He knows these kids aren't bad, that they really just are overgrown children. He tries his best to save them from a bigger world of trouble, despite the best efforts of the other cops around him. There's a lot of humanity in this movie and it helps to sell the movie. It's a rather low key affair, and this is not the kind of movie I'd think of as a precursor to Jaws, but there you go. It may not be his best, but it's essential in seeing the path of his career. Give it a spin and see the legend start to form.
Rating: 8.5/10
Top Movies
1. Duel
2. No One Lives
3. The Sugarland Express
4. 1941
5. Terror Train
Top 5 Moments
1. The Entire Third Act - 1941
2. The Final Showdown - Duel
3. Checking The Trunk - No One Lives
4. Slim Picken and Mifune Interact - 1941
5. The Reveal - Terror Train
Top 5 Performances
1. Dennis Weaver - Duel
2. John Belushi - 1941
3. Luke Evans - No One Lives
4. Adelaide Clemens - No One Lives
5. Dan Akroyd - 1941
No One Lives (October 26th, 2014)
Director: Ryuhei Kitamura
Starring: Luke Evans, Adelaide Clemens, Lee Tergesen, and Derek Magyar
This was a nice little surprise, being that it was produced by the WWE and is not a complete shit pile. But more than that, it is an actually really interesting B movie. This isn't high art, will never win itself some prestigious awards. But it has a hell of a twist in it to make the proceedings a lot more interesting that the normal run of the mill it seemed like initially. To spoil it here would be unfair, since it is a relatively recent movie and is not in the public consciousness. But I will say that the movie plays in a very murky area, morally speaking. There is a conflict at hand of where to put our loyalties, and there is only one person to do that. It is a really sort of brilliant idea and I loved that it did it. The movie is really well shot and the violence is particularly nice, bloody and over the top. The acting is all serviceable all around, with Evans and Clemens doing the best work. It's a shame Evans can't get work in good things, being stuck in the likes of The Hobbit movies or Dracula Untold. He has a good energy and charm here. And Clemens does really good work, playing the only real character with a wide range of emotions going on. And she nails it. This isn't a movie that's going to change the world, nor is it going to be liked by everyone. It is a big movie with a lot of crazy things going on that may make people scoff. But it plays with a little wink in its eye, letting you know it's in on the joke. That being said, I really liked it as a genuine B movie that knows how to entertain. If you can open your mind to a wild movie, give this a shot.
1941 (October 29th, 2014)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, Christopher Lee, and Toshiro Mifune
This movie has a pretty negative reputation in the annals of history. After coming of the successes of Jaws and Close Encounters, Spielberg went stupid big for this movie and it failed. Critics didn't like it, nor did audiences who checked out. This movie changed how Spielberg made movies, so it's kind of directly responsible for Raiders of The Lost Ark. And even before I saw it, I was glad it existed just for that reason. But now having seen it, I gotta say that is is actually a great deal of fun. The movie is still a big, bloated mess with so much going on. It's kind of like an anthology movie in the sense that some of the stuff works, while others don't. The cast is huge and everyone seems to be game, with the highlights being Belushi and Akroyd. Belushi is just a god damn treasure, playing a crazy pilot who thinks he has been trailing some Jap pilots. He just goes big and it works. Akroyd is great as a tank operator who likes to give speeches, until he gets concussed and goes a little nuts. The rest of the cast is great, with Mifune and Lee doing some really good work as well. Even Slim Pickens shows up to do a great cameo with those two. The movie takes a while to get truly revving, but there is a moment when the movie just clicks into place and goes completely insane that is so wild, it's really just amazing. From that point, the movie is pretty hilarious and finally works. Now, watching this movie, there was some pretty surprising stuff in it that I did not expect to see. For one, there is period appropriate racism in it. A lot of slurs towards the Japanese and one really fucked up but amazing joke at their expense. Hell, there's even some humor about blacks having to sit in the back of buses. Really kinda crazy shit I never expected to see in a slapstick comedy from the really sentimental Spielberg. Also, there is a really rapey subplot that really threw me. And when I mean rapey, I mean Treat Williams plays a soldier who spends a lot of time trying to kidnap a girl who doesn't wanna sleep with him, so he can force her to sleep with him. It's fucking nuts and it's all played for laughs, which is really kinda insane. That story is fucked up and wrong, but in a way helps make the world seem all that more bent and warped. Something else that works here is the idea of panic that this country feels about invisible enemies, hiding in every dark corner. Not to say it's a prescient movie, but it does make a good anchor to hang a slapstick comedy on. Especially when this country still gets itself worked into a froth over nonsense. This movie isn't going to work for everyone, but it made me laugh a whole lot. So give it a try and watch what is considered to be Spielbergs first failure. And jack, most would wish this was their worst movie.
Duel (November 1st, 2014)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Dennis Weaver
Most people would assume that Jaws was the first time people got to know who Spielberg was. And they would kind of be wrong. That was his first big hit and the movie that captured the public consciousness, but people in the 70s probably heard from him before. He made a made for tv movie that was so good, he was allowed to film more scenes and it was released in theaters for a bit. That movie was Duel, a masterful exercise in tension. This is the movie that probably got him Jaws, since it is very similar movie where it's a big truck instead of a shark. This is a very simple movie. Dennis Weaver is driving to meet a client about some work stuff when he pisses off a trucker for some reason that he or we don't understand, and that trucker decides to terrorize him. That's it, very simple stuff. Weaver is the only real character in the movie, and he carries it really well. The paranoia he feels is palpable, constantly worrying about why this is happening and how he's going to survive this. It's not a surprise that this kid went on to be the biggest director ever. He had a real talent early on, knowing how to work a camera and how to wring tension out of some run of the mill elements. Tension is so thick in this movie that it feels like it could be cut with a knife. The fact that he pulled this magic trick off on tv is insane. And its the 70s, so it's all practical. Just genius stuff and re energized my love for Spielbergs work. Highly recommended.
The Sugarland Express (November 11th, 2014)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, Ben Johnson, and Michael Sacks
Well now we get to the big screen debut for Spielberg, and it's a pretty solid ride. Here we follow a dopey young couple as the woman (Hawn) breaks the man (Atherton) out of prison to try and get their son from foster care. What follows is essentially a road movie as they drive across Texas to get to the boy. The rub? They took a cop hostage and are now being trailed by what appears to be the entire Texas police department, led by Ben Johnson. Now, this movie is a bit of a step back from Duel, but only a bit. Where Duel was a unique exercise in tension, this is his version of a bunch of other movies combined. So it lacks a bit in originality. But it still shows his talents behind the camera immensely. He gets good performances out of everyone, including Hawn who has always been an annoying screen presence to me. Spielberg shows a real maturity in this movie that most fresh faced directors wouldn't have. He shows that these two kids are simple and pretty stupid, but doesn't excuse their actions. They are wrong, through and through. It's pretty refreshing to see a movie like this that doesn't canonize the criminals. Also, in Ben Johnsons role is a nice change of pace. He knows these kids aren't bad, that they really just are overgrown children. He tries his best to save them from a bigger world of trouble, despite the best efforts of the other cops around him. There's a lot of humanity in this movie and it helps to sell the movie. It's a rather low key affair, and this is not the kind of movie I'd think of as a precursor to Jaws, but there you go. It may not be his best, but it's essential in seeing the path of his career. Give it a spin and see the legend start to form.
Top Movies
1. Duel
2. No One Lives
3. The Sugarland Express
4. 1941
5. Terror Train
Top 5 Moments
1. The Entire Third Act - 1941
2. The Final Showdown - Duel
3. Checking The Trunk - No One Lives
4. Slim Picken and Mifune Interact - 1941
5. The Reveal - Terror Train
Top 5 Performances
1. Dennis Weaver - Duel
2. John Belushi - 1941
3. Luke Evans - No One Lives
4. Adelaide Clemens - No One Lives
5. Dan Akroyd - 1941
- Tom Lorenzo
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